Castles in the Air
Further to yesterday's post, there is another Landmark we try to visit whenever we are near Nuneaton but it is not yet available. Astley Castle has been owned by three English queens and was used by George Elliot in Scenes of Clerical Life, where it was called Knebbley Abbey.
Astley Castle was really a fortified manor house which despite its Grade II* listing has been crumbling away for many years. The Landmark Trust has been trying to find a way of rescuing and restoring it for habitation but have reluctantly come to accept that this is not feasible. However, they are embarking on a rather bold experiment. The remaining structure is to be made safe and a new, modern living space created inside the medieval shell.