Raby Castle is in County Durham and is one of the largest inhabited castles in
England. It has opulent 18th and 19th Century interiors inside a largely unchanged,
late medieval shell. It did originally have a moat but only a lake on one side
still remains. It has walls on which it stands and a gate house providing the only
access. It initially had a keep and a pele tower but now has 9 towers each built at
different times and in different styles. Stone was taken from Barnard Castle
in the 17th Century for work at Raby Castle.
A licence to crenellate was granted in 1378 but some towers already existed before
this. The Kitchen Tower of 1360 still retains its original medieval form. The Bulmer
Tower has an 11th Century base but has been updated since, the Neville Gateway and
Joan's Tower are 14th Century and Clifford's Tower has windows dating from Edward III
(1312 – 1377). Others were added later.