Duffield Castle

Duffield Castle in the Derbyshire village of Duffield was one of the largest medieval castles in England, built for the Ferrers family, granted estates in the county after the Norman Conquest, with a stone keep about 98 feet by 95 feet, only a little smaller than the White Tower of London. Robert de Ferrers rebelled against King Henry III and in 1266 the castle was destroyed on the king's orders; the foundations were rediscovered in 1885 and the marked-out site was given to the National Trust in 1899, one of its earliest archaeological monuments. Today all that remains on the one-hectare mound, hemmed in by houses and roads, are those foundations, the well, the view over the Derwent valley and the stories, and dogs are allowed on the site. Reviewers are honest that there is little to see and that it takes imagination to picture the keep, but they find it a peaceful spot with good views. Tips from visitors: the entrance is a narrow gate off the main road and easy to miss, steep steps climb to the top, and there is no parking or toilet, so combine it with Kedleston Hall nearby.