Berkhamsted Castle

27/08/2026

Yesterday was the 680th anniversary of the Battle of Crécy (26 August 1346)*, the first major battle fought by England and France in the Hundred Years’ War. The date is significant to Berkhamsted because of the involvement of Edward the Black Prince, whose centre of operations was Berkhamsted Castle. The English victory was decided by the introduction of the English longbow. Berkhamsted had become a centre of archery under the Black Prince, and it is reasonable to suppose that Berkhamsted bowmen went with him into battle at Crécy. Fighting alongside Edward was his companion, Henry of Berkhamsted, whose tomb can be seen today in the Parish Church of St Peter's Berkhamsted.
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*strict adherents of the Julian calendar may wish to scroll on and come back to read this in 13 days' time

In the early 14th century, France was under a dynastic crisis. Under Salic law (the ancient French legal code), succession to the throne of France was only permitted through a line of male inheritance. Unlike in England, royal inheritance could

24/08/2026

Not only do the fields boast a beautiful view of Berko, it also gave a perfect vantage point from which to view the recent solar eclipse. Around 200 people gathered to watch the event. More photos are here on our page.

24/08/2026

The annual opening of historic sites and buildings across England returns in September. Stories are told, traditions explored, and histories brought to life. It’s your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences – and it’s all FREE. Heritage

22/08/2026

21/08/2026

Heritage Open Days are just around the corner! We're offering free guided tours of Berkhamsted Castle, led by an experienced volunteer from Berkhamsted Castle Trust. Book your space now to avoid disappointment:

Take a guided tour of Berkhamsted Castle during Heritage Open Days

19/08/2026

🏠🏠🏠🏠New housing developments are springing up all around Berkhamsted - Townsend Gate, South Berkhamsted, Haresfoot Farm, Pix Farm Lane, East Hemel, Chaulden Meadows. There’s great demand today for housing stock, and successive governments are relaxing planning rules and Green Belt protections. Land near railway stations is especially highly sought after. Perhaps it’s just a fact of life and we have to reluctantly accept this, but not all development should go unchallenged.

⚔️ Berkhamsted Castle Trust believes that the open meadows right next to Berkhamsted Castle are special. Castle Fields has ancient links to Magna Carta and the Dukes of Cornwall. This was the site of a siege in 1216, and for centuries part of a royal park.

🌳It’s Berkhamsted’s last green space, a wildlife corridor that connects us to Ashridge forest and rolling English countryside. It’s 30 acres of Berkhamsted’s history and it’s about to be lost to development. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. We hope you’ll support our Campaign to Save Castle Fields.

www.berkhamstedcastle.org.uk/castlefields

18/08/2026

You can read about this history of the railway coming to Berkhamsted in the 1830s on our website. Robert Stephenson's London & Birmingham Railway Company planned to destroy much of Berkhamsted Castle with construction works, but local people objected. They didn't have social media in the 1830s, but as Percy Birtchnell records, there were angry meetings in the Kings Arms pub in Berkhamsted. Local objectors (NIMBYs, if you will) got Parliament to restrict the construction works. Sadly, they couldn't save everything, and the Castle's barbican gate was destroyed.

This limitation on the railway works was possibly the first statutory protection of a historic monument anywhere in the world. It set in motion a practice that has given us today's legislation protecting historic sites - Scheduled Monuments, Listed Buildings etc. Perhaps they were just NIMBYs, but thanks to their campaigning we still have a Castle in Berkhamsted today. Now in 2026, our Castle Fields face a similar threat, and Berkhamsted Castle Trust is campaigning to protect a historic site from development. Thousands of people have supported us already - will you join them?

In the 1830s, the British landscape was being transformed by the Industrial Revolution. The Grand Junction Canal through Berkhamsted opened in 1805, but only 30 years later its financial success was to be eclipsed by a new transport technology: the

17/08/2026

Beyond the Battle is a free schools competition for Key Stage 2 pupils (ages 7–11) - design the missing final panel of the Bayeux Tapestry! All participating schools receive a free learning resource pack with lesson plans and ideas for creative activities. Winning classes will get to visit the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum in London and the the Battle of Hastings Battlefield! Beyond the Battle is devised by Art Explora in partnership with English Heritage and will launch in late September 2026.

National schools competition across the UK to design the missing final panel of the Bayeux Tapestry!