A fairytale castle

Off today to an English castle. Caught the train from Brighton (train journeys being a bit of a novelty to Sprinkles) and we shunted off westwards through Hove and beyond. Arrived at Arundel with its picture book castle, Sarah really liked straight away. I am really enjoying seeing England through Sprinkles' eyes, as she goes about noticing flowers, and cute little cars, and getting excited about crossing the little stone bridge past the ruins into town.

I missed the castle entrance and walked uphill. This gave us the opportunity however, to rubberneck around Arundel Cathedral of our Lady and St Philip Howard. There were excellent gargoyles and the beautiful stained glass. Sarah took a moment to light some candles, and we sat for a while together in the big tranquil space. The Cathedral is fairly new, being opened in 1868 but built in a much older French Gothic style of 1400.

St. Philip was also the 14th Earl of Arundel and became a Saint as he was imprisoned for his Catholicism (after the defeat of the dastardly Spanish Armada in 1588) and was falsely charged of praying for a Spanish victory.

Then we popped across the road into St Nicholas, the Arundel Parish Church which was rebuilt in about 1380, on the site of an earlier church. And despite the noisy builders talking we enjoyed looking at the old graves and the blossom in the graveyard.

After this we paused briefly for a fortifying lunch at Belinda's 16 Century Tearooms, like proper tourists. Sprinkles ate fish and chips and found that it was good and noble. I had a demonstration glass of beer, and Steak and kidney pudding which was surprisingly nice despite smelling a bit like a school toilet when I first let some steam from it.

Then off into Arundel Castle. Sarah said that the daisies in the lawn reminded her of Disney landscapes. We had good fun squeezing up spiral staircases, and lurking in the dungeon, and quizzing the guides in the gorgeous halls and rooms.

Spent a long time looking down from the battlements of the Keep at the River Arun and the castle grounds below and then the green countryside beyond. It certainly is a lovely place.

We also were able to look into the bedrooms, which are still sometimes occupied by the family. Sarah's favourite room, which I thought was amazing too, was the library. It was all in a warm and opulent red and the books were on two stories in cases. We walked between the leather bound volumes listening to the tick of the clock and thinking how wonderful it would be to spend time reading there.

Then out, and taking photos of ghost clocks of dandelions before wandering happily out of the grounds just before closing time. Then home by train again.

Below gargoyles at the Cathedral, Castle grounds, staircase from the Keep's dungeon, and Sprinkles.