On approaching the castle this is the first view that you will have and is very impressive. The arched bridge on the very right of the picture is the entrance and the very large square tower is the Main Keep.

Goodrich Castle, Goodrich, Herefordshire.

The Entrance to the castle. Gates were always the weakest part of a castle's defence so a barbican was built beyond them and this is where visitors would wait to be admitted to the castle proper.

The Gate passage presented an attacker with a daunting sequence of defences. The modern fixed bridge used to be a pivoting wooden drawbridge and a stone fighting platform was located above the drawbridge where soldiers could shoot down onto the enemy.

Goodrich Castle, Goodrich, Herefordshire

The Main Keep.

Goodrich Castle is owned and maintained by English Heritage.

Goodrich Castle, Goodrich, Herefordshire

The Dungeons were situated below the Main Keep and, for obvious reasons, was a gloomy and unwelcoming place.

Goodrich Castle, Goodrich, Herefordshire

The Latrine Tower. This lavatory would have had three wooden seats above a stone lined cesspit with a hole leading into the moat. A small boy would climb into this, when necessary, to clean the pit. I'm sure that that would be a delightful job.