HOW TO VISIT
The ruins of Raglan Castle, Monmouthshire, which held out to parliamentarian forces for 13 weeks during the British Civil Wars
Castles were fortified homes built to stand up to attack. Entire communities existed within the castle – not only the lord lived here, but also soldiers, armourers, blacksmiths, cooks, washers and scribes, along with their families. Within a castle would be kitchens, bedrooms, workshops and other buildings, as well as defences. Comfort took a second place to security, though, so rooms were squeezed in where there was space and they were often small, cold and draughty.