Peveril Castle in High Peak

You're standing at Peveril Castle, on a limestone outcrop high above the village of Castleton in Derbyshire. First, look at the square tower on the southern corner. That's the keep, built around 1176 on the orders of King Henry II. For a royal tower it's actually small, but perched on that steep rock it looks huge. Notice how rough the walls look? Originally they had a smooth facing. After the Middle Ages, people carried off those fine outer stones. Only on the south-east side was the slope too steep. There you still get a hint of how the tower once looked.