This is one of those unique top five lists in that the youngest item pre-dates the settling of the USA by well over 100 years. Most are much older than that. The castles in England are a window on a world that was fascinating, brutal and romantic. The examples that have made it on to this list are also stunning architecturally and are must see locations for anyone visiting England.

Warwick Castle has been in existence in some shape or form for almost 1,000 years. It is located in Warwickshire, which is a county in the west midlands region of England. It was first Built by William the Conqueror in 1068 but has been rebuilt, changed and added to down through the years. It is now open to visitors. Check out the falconry displays or go on one of the ghost walks.

Bodiam Castle was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge. He was a former knight and built the castle to help defend the East Sussex area against French invasion during the Hundred Years’ War. It is completely surrounded by a large moat which makes the setting even more spectacular. It looks much the same today as it did back then.

Alnwick Castle dates back to 1096 and was built to protect the northern counties of England against invasion by the Scots. It is located in Northumberland. It has undergone many alterations and changes since then and today it is stunning. The current Duke of Northumberland still lives in part of it, but mostly it is open to the public. It was even used in some of the scenes of the Harry Potter movies.

The Tower of London is one of the most famous castles in the UK. It is also one of the most accessible given its location in the capital. It was first built in 1078 by William the Conqueror and has been used for a variety of purposes, including as a prison and as a royal residence. Today it is one of England’s most popular tourist attractions.

Unfortunately, only ruins remain of the spectacular Corfe Castle. It is located in the English county of Dorset and was built by William the Conqueror in the 11^th century. It is a jagged, domineering structure that sits at the top of a hill and was probably one of the most important castles in England in the first two or three hundred years of its existence. It was demolished under orders from the English parliament in 1645 and now only the ruins remain, but hundreds of thousands of people continue to visit the location every year.