WARWICK Castle has been given the Royal Mail stamp of approval.
The castle is one of eight to feature on a new set of stamps celebrating the architectural brilliance of castles from across the UK, dating from the Norman period onwards. A further four stamps celebrate Royal castles.
Warwick Castle was built by William the Conqueror during the brutal military campaigns fought against the Anglo-Saxons that followed the Battle of Hastings in 1066. In 1068, William ordered its construction to control the town and, according to the Domesday survey of 1086, several properties were demolished to accommodate its fortifications.
The castle became the seat of the Earls of Warwick, one of the greatest noble lines of the Middle Ages.
They ambitiously redeveloped the building in stone from the 14th century and named its highest tower after the hero of chivalric literature, Guy of Warwick, from whom they claimed descent.
Other castles shown on the stamps are Dunluce Castle, Dundrum Castle, Raglan Castle, Pembroke Castle, Urquhart Castle, Stirling Castle and Bamburgh Castle
A further four stamps presented in a miniature sheet celebrate Royal castles and are newly commissioned artworks by British illustrator Rob Ball.
Royal castles featured are Caernarfon Castle, Windsor Castle, Dover Castle and Balmoral Castle
Ball has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator since 2000. He built a loyal following through his acclaimed project for HBO’s Game of Thrones, illustrating a poster for every episode of the series.
Liam Bartlett, general manager at Warwick Castle, said: “Warwick Castle is certainly an icon on the Midlands’ landscape, so we’re thrilled that we’ll be featuring in Royal Mail’s brand-new stamp collection. One of the earliest castles to be built in the UK in 1068, just after the Battle of Hastings, we wonder how its founder, William the Conqueror, might have felt about his castle ending up in miniature on a postage stamp centuries later.”
Royal Mail spokesperson David Gold added: “Castles are among the most recognisable features of the UK’s landscape, and this stamp issue celebrates the skill, ambition and design behind these remarkable structures from across the nations.”
