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REVIEW BY KK
This brief volume provides a succinct overview of the main castles and fortifications found across the West Country. Starting in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Powell-Thomas then gives special attention to examining the Palmerston forts surrounding Plymouth, which were commissioned to deter a French naval assault in the 19th century. He does not provide the reasoning behind this decision, but in any case, this chapter is the most detailed in the book, providing a comprehensive, yet concise summary of each fort’s history. Following this, we are then guided through fortifications in the rest of Devon, before moving on to tour Somerset, Wiltshire, and finally Dorset.
Apart from the Palmerston forts mentioned above, most entries get little more than a paragraph to outline their history. In this way, the book acts more as a gazetteer than an informative volume, but it is thorough in its geographical coverage. Its temporal coverage is a bit more sparse, heavily weighted towards the post-medieval period. While medieval castles are also included, hillforts and other prehistoric fortifications are barely included, bar the odd passing reference.
Andrew Powell-Thomas Amberley, £15.99 ISBN 978-1398111288
