Arundel Castle

I went to the most amazing place today! We drove to Arundel Castle this morning, a nearly thousand year-old castle just 20 minutes outside of Bognor Regis.  It's the home of the Duke of Norfolk and his family, who have private living quarters, though the rest of the castle is open to the public. 

This is the first look of the castle I got as we were walking up the lane to the entrance.  It was a breathtaking sight, and the rainclouds in the back make it look even more picturesque.  It was supposed to rain today, so we thought we'd head up to the Keep to start with so we could get a good look at the views from the top. 

Climbing the stairs to the Keep

Top of the Keep

One of the many magnificent views from the top

It was 137 steps to the top of the Keep, with some very narrow ones in turrets that were not made for tall people with large feet. 

The climb was very much worth it and we could see for miles and miles all around us.  It didn't rain after all, which was lucky, because we were able to enjoy the rest of the day both inside the castle and out in the gardens.  Although the garden was home to plenty of beautiful flowers (mainly tulips), it was also a working garden which grew kale, lettuces, peppers, leeks, fennel, and just about every other vegetable you can imagine. 

I had a wonderful time, as I always do, wandering around the grounds and inside the castle, listening and reading about the history and imagining all the people and events this place has a part of over the years.  It's still very much in use today, for private and public functions.  I was told by one of the guards that one of the dining rooms we toured is sometimes used for discos by some of the younger children of the Duke.  It's really amazing when you think about it, to go from seeing the rosary beads carried by Mary Queen of Scots as she walked to her execution to a cluster of modern day family photos of the Duke on the front lawn.