Arundel Castle from the air - The second largest castle in the country has been the ancestral home of the Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel for more than five centuries. Set in over 1,000 acres of beautiful parkland, the 11th century Norman Castle overlooks the River Arun and provides a stunning backdrop to the town. Roger de Montgomery, the first Earl of Arundel, a trusted lieutenant of William the Conqueror and one of the most powerful of the Norman barons began building the impressive Castle soon after his arrival in England in late 1067. In 1643, during the Civil War, the castle was besieged and captured by the Roundheads, lead by Sir Wiliam Waller. Prior to the Restoration, the Roundheads damaged the Castle so that the Cavaliers could not use it as a fortress. It took until 1800 to fully restore the Castle, with further restoration from 1875 to 1900. The Castle houses many fascinating treasures including a collection of fine furniture, tapestries, clocks, portraits by Van Dyck, Gainsborough, and Reynolds amongst others, and personal possessions of Mary Queen of Scots.- ?TopFoto / Woodmansterne