fuck yeah castles

gunhilde:

Since the mid thirteenth century, Chillingham Castle has been the ancestral home of the Grey family, known both for the ill-fated Lady Jane, and for the popular flavour of tea. Originally built in the twelfth century, Chillingham received its license to crenelate from Edward III in 1344. The original document is on display in the castle still today.

The castle has played host to royalty on several occasions. Edward I stayed at Chillingham on his way north to fight William Wallace in 1298. Henry III and James I also both spent time there, as have members of the modern royal family.

The surrounding estate is also home to the famous Chillingham wild cattle. It has been suggested that this breed bears some resemblance to the extinct Aurochs, and may be descended from prehistoric wild cattle which once inhabited the British Isles. The herd has remained essentially genetically isolated for several centuries, and apart from a small reserve group kept in Scotland, is the only such herd surviving in the country.