FIVE MORE PLACES TO EXPLORE
1 The White Tower, London
Where William asserted his authority
The White Tower was William I’s ultimate power statement. Begun on the edge of the largest city in his new kingdom, it was built to awe Londoners and to demonstrate authority. The stone keep was probably completed by 1100 – it remains the centrepiece of the Tower of London, Britain’s most popular tourist attraction. hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon
2 Winchester Cathedral
Where Norman architecture hit its zenith
Few Norman buildings can match Winchester Cathedral in terms of scale and beauty. In many ways, the building is typical of the Norman conquest: the old Anglo-Saxon minster was reduced to rubble and in its place, completed in 1093, appeared a building boasting the longest nave in Europe. But multiculturalism is present again – a major inspiration was the burial church of the Salian emperors, the cathedral of Speyer in Germany.
3 The Bayeux Tapestry
Where William’s victory is uniquely relived
The Bayeux Tapestry brings arguably the most celebrated battle in English history to glorious – and sometimes gory – life via nearly 70 metres of embroidered cloth. Despite its name, this depiction of Duke William’s victory at Hastings was made in England in the 1070s, commissioned by William’s half-brother, Odo, but reflecting English influences. tapisserie-bayeux.fr/ la_ tapisserie_ de_ bayeux.html
4 Chepstow Castle
Where England met Wales
Work on the site began a matter of months after the battle of Hastings – under the Conqueror’s close friend William fitz Osbern – a testament to how the Normans immediately began to demonstrate their presence and authority. cadw.gov.wales
5 Dunfermline Abbey
Where Norman style is evident
Founded by Edgar the Ætheling’s sister St Margaret, the wife of King Malcolm (Mael Coluim) III, and developed by their son King David I, this magnificent building shows the architectural influence of the Norman conquest beyond the English kingdom’s borders. dunfermlineabbey.co.uk/wwp
winchester-cathedral.org.uk