Lancaster Castle inmates in flight

Lancaster Castle inmates in flight, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Walking around Lancaster Castle walls, a flock of birds take flight from the main turret.

I shot them in the way all animal lovers do - with my trusty camera.

Lancaster Castle Wall + Lancaster Priory + Self Portrait

Castle + Priory + Self Portrait, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

A self portrait, but which is me and what or who is beside me? And am I seeing double?

Flag-waving city

Flag-waving city, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Last night's toilet revelations must have put nationalism on my mind; everywhere I looked this evening, flags were.

Well, one flag - dominating the city centre above Lancaster Castle.

But not the sky. The sky always wins.

The cross. The crown. The flag. The castle:

All diminished.

The sky is bigger, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Lancaster Castle

Competing designs, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Taken at lunchtime outside Lancaster Castle, which is also a working prison. The prison guards were spread out on the grass in front of the main gate eating lunch while I snapped the castle from different angles (I felt compelled to ask their permission in advance). It took a little while to notice the lamp post, which smacked of an old black and white Sherlock Holmes flick. Perhaps, I thought, he tracked down some of the inmates ... No wait, that can't be right!

Earlier this morning I took this shot of the castle from a distance to give you a view of the whole structure. See also this shot for the lampost and castle in regular perspective.

Lancaster Castle is located in the very centre of the city; as well as performing its function as a prison, it provides tours and even stages theatrical productions. In fact, there is so much to say about the castle that I'll leave you in the hands of the official tour guide. Are you interested in witches? Queens? Penal history? Take a look - the site even allows you to search the convict database. Fascinating stuff. (There is also a quick-read history of the castle in this link to guide to castles of Europe)