We dont know our Hogwarts from our Windsor Castle
Millions think centuries-old castles date from the 1900s and were built from corrugated iron with moats to provide drinking water
Castles: Britains Fortified History, Thursday, 8pm, on Yesterday and available to catch-up on UKTV Play
Britain is a nation of castle lovers - but according to new research from the Yesterday channel, our enthusiasm, appreciation and understanding is more likely to be based on fictional castles from the likes of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones than the real thing.
The findings for Castles: Britains Fortified History, which features on the Yesterday channel on Thursday (8pm), reveal that millions of Brits enjoy visiting castles, and millions more would like to live, party or get married in one.
Castles: Britain s Fortified History on Yesterday
The Yesterday research found that around a quarter (26.2%) of the 2,000 adults polled said they would like to LIVE in a castle, a similar number (22.5%) would like to get married in a castle, two thirds (63.5%) would like to holiday in a castle, and one in three (31.3%) would like to host their own party in a castle.
Yet many think castles which date from the Middle Ages are as little as one hundred years old and were constructed in part from corrugated iron, invented in the 1820s and built with moats to provide drinking water for inhabitants.
However, Castle Grayskull, from 1980s cartoon Masters of the Universe, is better known than Rochester Castle in Kent, whose 12th Century keep or stone tower is one of the best preserved in England or France. And two thirds (65%) thought Castle Black, from TV smash hit Game of Thrones, actually exists.
Meanwhile Hogwarts, the fictional school of magic set in an imposing Scottish castle in the Harry Potter books and films, is more widely recognised than Warwick Castle, which is one of Britains Top 10 historic houses and monuments according to the British Tourist Authority.
Dr Tracy Borman, author, historian and joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces, said,
Britain has a rich, vibrant and fascinating range of castles and fortified buildings dating back over 1,000 years, and they have excited, bewitched and enthralled us over the centuries. For most of us, our first understanding and visual interpretation comes as children from books, TV and films, and these often romanticised images stay with us throughout our adult lives. Theres clearly a huge fascination with castles for many millions of us, based on both fact and fiction, and finding out and learning more about the subject is something we can all enjoy.
Almost a third of those quizzed (32.5%) believe the Queens royal residence Windsor Castle was built in the last 300 years - when in fact it was originally constructed around a THOUSAND years ago, in the 11th Century.
While many castles originated in the 9th and 10th centuries, a third of Brits questioned didnt know that castles mainly date from the Middle Ages - classified as from the 5th to the 15th centuries.
Asked how the medieval period received its name, one in 16 claim its because it was a period when historians believe most people had evil intent, half that number say the medicine of the time involved banishing evil spirits, and one in 28 because it was a time when a family called the Medievals ruled Britain.
And while the generally accepted scholarly definition of a castle is a private fortified residence of a lord or noble, the 2,000 adults had varying ideas on what constitutes a castle:
Nearly four out of five (38.3%) say it must have turrets
One in 10 (10.3%) say a king or queen must have lived there
A quarter (24.4%) say it must have a moat, and
A similar number (28.1%) say it must be over 100 years old
Adrian Wills, general manager for Yesterday, added,
Castles are such an important and inspiring part of British history, so its no surprise that they are the setting for many fictional films and TV shows. Castles: Britains Fortified History will let Yesterday viewers see the truth behind the fascinating impact castles have had on our history and culture, and provide a real insight into why and how our ancestors created such remarkable buildings.
Castles: Britains Fortified History is shown on the Yesterday channel every Thursday at 8pm, and is available to catch up on UKTV Play.
If these walls could talk, the tale they'd tell is the history of Britain. Watch Thursdays 8pm or catch up on @UKTVPlay. pic.twitter.com/ipMTBqhZ6L
Yesterday Channel (@YesterdayTweets) January 18, 2017
Ends Research conducted by One Poll, on behalf of Yesterday, January 2017. Sample: 2,000 adults.
For more information please contact: Howard Bowden (07720 839 852 / howard@generation-media.co.uk) or Joe Dyble (07771 825 359 / joe@generation-media.co.uk) at Generation
or Katie Sheldrake, Publicist at UKTV
About Yesterday Sky 537, Virgin 206, Freeview 19, BT and TalkTalk 019 and on demand via UKTV Play Showcasing UK premiere series such as Raiders of the Lost Past, Forbidden History, and UFO Declassified, Yesterday provides fascinating factual stories. The channel also features dynamic nature and science programming including David Attenboroughs Natural Curiosities and Why Planes Crash, and programmes which challenge expectations including Secrets of the Bible. Ancient history is also featured in series including Medieval Dead, plus modern conflict in shows such as Black Ops.
About UKTV UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK. The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for nearly 10% of the British commercial TV market. The companys most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £319m and EBI
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
05/03/2026
Clear-Com has provided Gen-IC virtual intercom, its cloud-based voice communications system for SaxaVord Spaceport, the first fully licensed vertical launch s...
05/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives and executi...
05/03/2026
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of electrical power control solutions for professional audio, video, and lighting systems, today announced that its new Dual DMX ...
05/03/2026
Snicket Labs is pleased to announce a new distribution partnership with ES Broadcast for its award winning solutions, Match and Enrich.
Under the agreement, ES...
05/03/2026
LiveU today announced the first large-scale deployment of its AI-driven LiveU IQ (LIQ ) technology at a global, multi-venue sporting event, setting a new benchm...
04/03/2026
Lega Basket Serie A (LBA), the governing body for Italy's premier basketball...
04/03/2026
Wrexham AFC co-chairmen Rob Mac and Ryan Reynolds will host a first-of-its-kind ...
04/03/2026
The countdown is underway and with just 100 days to go until the world's greatest sporting event begins on Thurs., June 11, FOX Sports, America's Englis...
04/03/2026
No matter where they are in the world, service members and veterans can stream N...
04/03/2026
Telemundo officially releases Somos M s, the anthem for the network's cove...
04/03/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) concluded the 2026 HPA Tech Retreat, convening more than 800 industry leaders, technologists, creatives, and execut...
04/03/2026
Smith Entertainment Group transformed how local sports are consumed by creating ...
04/03/2026
The production method, which spans a distance of 36.2 miles, was designed and im...
04/03/2026
Haivision, a global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and...
04/03/2026
When Hugues Meyrath came out of retirement to take the helm as CEO of Quantum, i...
04/03/2026
Last week's launch of Banana Ball Championship League has spurred a significant upgrade of production facilities
The Savannah Bananas, arguably the hottest...
04/03/2026
sldkfjsdlfkjsldkfjsldkjfslkdjfslkdjfsl
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus...
04/03/2026
For many fans, a song's backstory can be just as compelling as the final pro...
04/03/2026
In 2006, Spotify was founded on the belief that technology could bring artists a...
04/03/2026
Spotify is back on the ground for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we&#...
04/03/2026
Spotify had an energizing week in Sydney, Australia, filled with powerful conver...
04/03/2026
Earlier this year, we launched Directed By, a documentary-style series that pull...
04/03/2026
100 Days to Go: SBS Unveils World Class Team for The Greatest Show on Earth -The...
04/03/2026
KT and Rohde & Schwarz to showcase AI-enhanced radio transmission performance In a joint 6G AI proof-of-concept demonstration, the CMX500 one-box tester from ...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, 3 March 2026 - SES S.A. has today published its 2025 Annual Report, following the announcement of the company's full year financial results for ...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, March 3, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, along with I...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON Partners with GSMA Innovation Fund to Accelerate Digital Innov...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON's Beeline Uzbekistan and Rakuten Symphony Partner for Open...
04/03/2026
Wednesday 4 March 2026
Sky Sports unveils plans for 2026 Formula 1 coverage
Sky Sports is preparing for one of the most highly anticipated F1 seasons in recen...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Bloodhounds' Season 2 Gears Up for April 3 Premiere with ...
04/03/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Ads Suite Expands Capabilities
Business
04 March 2026
GlobalUnited States
Link copied to clipboard
After launching the Netflix Ad...
04/03/2026
Scripps Research welcomes healthcare innovator Joe Kiani to the Board of Directors Kiani brings decades of experience in patient safety and public service.
Mar...
04/03/2026
Nanoparticle vaccine approach takes on a new target: Hepatitis C virus Scripps Research scientists reengineer critical proteins on the surface of HCV, paving th...
03/03/2026
Beyond Sports, a Sony group company, and LIV Golf, the world's golf league, ...
03/03/2026
Ilitch Sports + Entertainment announces the launch of Detroit SportsNet (DSN), a year-round broadcast home for two of Detroit's franchises. With flexible op...
03/03/2026
Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG), a technology and services provider for media ...
03/03/2026
The PGA of America, NBC Sports and USA Sports extend their media rights agreemen...
03/03/2026
AI device ecosystem company HONOR enters into a strategic technical collaboratio...
03/03/2026
Cleveland's Telos Alliance, pioneers in broadcast technology for 30 years, l...
03/03/2026
The MD 9235 microphone head for wireless handhelds has been a firm favorite with many engineers and artists for its ability to cut through high on-stage levels ...
03/03/2026
Haivision Systems Inc. (Haivision), a global provider of mission-critical, real-...
We dont know our Hogwarts from our Windsor Castle 
