Maxstoke Castle is very distinctive built in red brick with all the requirements for being a castle on the checklist. There are walls and towers with a large moat circling the building. Inside there are living quarters and gardens. Maxstoke is said to be very unusual because the castle is still the same as when it was built in 1345.  During the English Civil War the castle was used as a garrison by the Parliamentary troops and did not sustain any damage.  Situated near to Coleshill in the green belt between Birmingham and Coventry, Maxstoke castle is now privately owned.  I learnt that there is a strong connection between Maxstoke and Packwood house which happened when there was a marriage between the two families in the 18th Century. Most of the information about the castle can be gleaned from the internet. However what really fascinated me was the majestic appearance of the castle and I was very keen to photograph the place.

The castle opens up for one day a year for local charities which this year were the Coleshill Parish Church
restoration project and the National Gardens Scheme. The day was very hot and when we arrived, there were queues outside the entrance. We were advised to return in 20 minutes so we took time to stroll around nearby Shustoke reservoir. When we came back to the entrance, we were initially worried that we would not get in again but lucky the gates opened. The entrance to the castle is very photogenic as the trees lead you to the castle and the view opens up to show the grand architecture. I moved to the left and found a view which captured the reflections of the castle in the moat with the water lilies creating a foreground feature. Once we had stocked up with drinking water and cake, we began exploring. My grandson immediately noticed the damsel files and dragonflies darting around the edges of the moat. There was a lady painting the castle in watercolours and I am not sure how she kept her concentration with all the questions from passersby. Inside the castle, there was a chance to see the various treasures in the house but the queue was long and there will always be next year to prioritise this when visiting. Instead we wandered around the castle admiring the gardens and the views.

There were many people at the castle and there was an eye catching group of Seam Punks who were dressed in bright clothes. They just love having their photograph taken with the castle as a backdrop. I enjoyed the day even though the sun was strong creating difficult shadows for the camera.

On the way out, there was a display of MG cars from a local owners club. The two yellow MGs looked amazing although the others did not disappoint.

If you like my pictures and blog then keep a look out for the open day next year. The castle is worth visiting and as mentioned the entrance fee helps several local charities. As a family, we enjoyed the day and my grandson loved seeing the damsel flies, pretending to live in the castle and seeing the sports cars. He even got to hold one of the Steampunk ogres!

You may wish to read my visit to Kenilworth Castle which is not so far away and owned by English Heritage.

Kenilworth Castle 2021