Nightbringer.se

Castle

Castle Adventurous
Castle of Pellehan, Palace Adventurous, Palace of Adventures, le Palais Aventureux

This place can be found in the Grail Castle called Carbonek, where the Grail was kept. [More]
Castle Blank
'White Castle' | La Forteresce Bliant

Sirs Bliant and Celinant's castle. [More]
Castle Bliant
Castle of Bliant

One of Pellam's castles. [More]
Castle-an-Dinas

Situated near Saint Columb in Cornwall, the largest Celtic hill fort in that county and a seat of Cornish kings after Arthur's time, it became associated in Cornish tradition with King Arthur himself, some sources even naming it as Camelot. It's also called Arthur's Hunting Lodge.
Castle, Chains

The fortress in which Arthur was imprisoned by the False Guinevere ('Genievre'). She charmed him there and would not free him until he swore to recognize her as queen.
Castle Dangerous
Castle Perilous

The castle of Dame Lyonors is also called the Castle Perilous. Malory tells of another Castle Perilous, however, one almost certainly different from that of Lyonors.

When Sir Ironside besieged Castle Dangerous, Lynette came to Arthur's court at Caerleon to find a champion for her sister. Lyonors' castle may perhaps be found by attempting to retrace Lynette's return with Gareth Beaumains. After leaving Caerleon, Gareth fights and kills two wicked brothers at a "great river and but one passage". The Severn makes a horseshoe curve at Newnham, below Gloucester, and continues to make little bends between Newnham and Gloucester. Malory's "great river and but one passage" might be somewhere here.

Continuing on, Gareth fights and kills the Black Knight of the Black Laund (Percard), that same day, in a valley. Still, apparently, the same day, he defeats the Green Knight (Pertolepe) (not to be confused with the title character of 'Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight'), who lodges him and Lynette for a night and next morning escorts them partway through a forest. This day Gareth defeats the Red Knight (Perimondes) by a white tower at the Pass Perilous. I would guess this to be a mountain rather than a river pass, and put it in the Cotswolds, perhaps at Stroud. The Red Knight also lodges them overnight.

The following day Gareth defeats Sir Persant of Inde near a "city rich and fair", which is "seven mile" from Castle Dangerous. Castle Dangerous is later described, in a cry made throughout Britain, Ireland, and Brittany, as "beside the Isle of Avilion". Sir Persant's city might be Tetbury or Chippenham, and Castle Dangerous seven miles beyond that, toward Avilion.

See also
Black Knight | The Legend of King Arthur
Green Knight | The Legend of King Arthur
Red Knight | The Legend of King Arthur
Castle, Dark
Chastel Tenebreus

A castle where Lancelot completed an unspecified adventure. At his wish, the inhabitants of the castle changed its name.
Castle de La Fleche
Flege

A well situated and splendidly appointed castle a day's ride or less from Windesant.
Castle Dor
Dore

An earthwork fort near Fowey in Cornwall. [More]
Castle Eden

A village in County Durham, said to be haunted by Arthur's knights in the guise of chickens. Arthur's hall was one thought to have stood there.
Castle Field

A hill fort situated in Craig Llwyn Farm, near Cardiff. Blackett and Wilson believe it to be the original location of Camelot.
Castle Flatting

Arthur's castle in the country of Delamore.
Castle Gomeret

A castle ruled by Marin the Jealous in Perlevaus. [More]
Castle Gwyretheyrn

A castle built by Vortigern in Gwynessi.
Castle Helyn

Aquilian was the ruler of this castle.
Castle Hutton

The castle owned by Bertilak of the High Desert, also called the Green Knight. Gawain lodged at Hutton while waiting for the day on which he was scheduled to fight the Green Knight at the Green Chapel.
Castle Joyous

A fortress visited by the warrior maiden Britomart. There, she found the Red Cross Knight attacked by six knights. She assisted him, and the two of them defeated the attackers.

The lady of the castle, Malecasta, had wanted the Red Cross Knight as her lover. When the Red Cross Knight and Britomart lodged at the castle, Malecasta turned her affections to Britomart, not realizing that Britomart was a woman. This misunderstanding led to another brawl, and Britomart and the Red Cross Knight had to flee the castle.
Castle Key

An earthwork, modern Caynham Camp (Shropshire) which, according to the medieval History of Fulk Fitzwarin, was built by Kay.
Castle of Boys

An island castle belonging to King Orians of Amalvi. When Arthur set hundreds of children adrift at sea in a vain effort to destroy his incestuous son, Mordred, the boat washed ashore at Amalvi. King Orians took pity on the children and had them raised secretly in the Castle of Boys.
Castle of Case
Chastel de la Casse

A castle five miles from Corbenic (Carbonek) where Galahad was conceived by Lancelot and Elaine of Carbonek. Lancelot was drugged and led to the castle by Elaine’s maidservant, Dame Brisen, who told him that Guenevere was waiting for him.
Castle of Death

A castle where Gaheris fought and killed the evil Kaols the Cruel. Gaheris gave the castle to one of Kaols’s prisoners.
Castle of Elms

A castle commanded by Guingan of Dolas.
Castle of Enchantments
Chastel des Enchantemanz

A castle in the Scottish borderlands, built by Orpheus the Enchanter, who had once debated with Joseph of Arimathea. This was related to Sir Bors in a song that he heard in Corbenic Castle.

Sommers relates to a Chastel des Enchantmanz, the castle where Bertholai advises the false Guenevere ('Genievre') to have Arthur carried.
Castle of Joy

One of the various names given to the Grail Castle in Perlesvaus.
Castle of Ladies
Castle aux Dames

Sagramore killed an evil knight named Greomar and siezed his castle, which Arthur named the Castle of Ladies. Sagremor gave the castle to Sir Laudon and his lady, Helyap. The Formidable Knight, Greomar’s brother, later besieged the castle and was defeated by Gawain.
Castle of Maidens
Castellum Puellarum, Castle aux Pucelles, Chastel des Puceles, the Maydens Castell

A ubiquitous but mysterious location in Arthurian romances. [More]
Castle of Maidens
Castle of Virgins, Chastel as Dames, Dames as Chastel

Lancelot champions the cause of the Knights of this castle during a tournament against that of the Knights of le Chastel as Puceles, and fights, without recognising them, against Hector and Lionel. [More]
Castle of Maidens
Chastel as Dames

This castle is thus named after Sagremor had vanquished its owner Greomar.
Castle of Marvels
Chastel de la Mervoille, Schastel Marveile

A castle in Galloway, first found in the First Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval. It is identical to Chrétien’s Canguin Rock and Heinrich von dem Türlin’s Salie.

It was inhabited by several ladies related to Arthur and Gawain, including Arthur’s mother (Igerne (Igraine) or Arnive), Arthur’s sister and Gawain’s mother (Morgause (Margawse) or Sangive), and Arthur’s nieces and Gawain’s sisters (Clarissant, Itonje, and Cundrie).

Wolfram says that the castle was built by Clinschor the Sorcerer (Klingsor). It contained several adventures, including the Perilous Bed. Gawain journeyed to the castle in the companionship of the Lady Orgeluse (Orguelleuse of Logres), braved the Perilous Bed, and broke the castle’s enchantments. Gawain became the castle’s lord. The Livre d’Artus says that Merlin brought Igerne to live there, and that Pellinore also retired there.
Castle of Nestor

A castle built by Galehault in honor of Nestor of Gannes who killed a giant.
Castle of Souls

One of the various names given to the Grail Castle in Perlesvaus. It was so nicknamed because anyone who died within it automatically went to heaven.
Castle of Tears
Castello del Proro, Chastel des Pleurs, Doleful City, Pleure

A castle on the Giant’s Isle ruled by Brunor, Galehaut’s father. It had been built by the pagan giant Dialetes in the time of Joseph of Arimathea as a stronghold against Christianity, and a custom was established by which knights and ladies who were less valiant or less beautiful, respectively, than the lord and lady of the castle, were slain by the castle’s lord. Tristan and Isolde stumbled upon the island on their way from Cornwall to Ireland; in a subsequent battle, Tristan killed both Brunor and his wife, the Beautiful Giantess.

Tristan became lord of the castle and lived there for a while with Isolde. In the Italian I Due Tristani, they had two children, also called Tristan and Isolde, during their sojourn at the castle. Once Tristan abandoned it, it was destroyed, at Galehaut’s behest, by the King with a Hundred Knights.
Castle of Ten Knights
Castel aux Dix Chevaliers

A strong castle in Britain. Its custom was that if a challenger could defeat ten knights and the castle’s lord, the castle would be liberated; if the knight could only defeat the first ten, however, he would have to take the position of lord of the castle and remain there. The second scenario befell Erec, who relieved Hector of the responsibility. Gawain later defeated the ten knights, but not Erec, leaving himself to guard the castle for six years. Finally, Lamorat defeated all ten knights plus Gawain, ending the customs for good. Lamorat then voluntarily became lord of the castle and married its lady.
Castle of Ten Maidens
Chastel as Dis Puceles

A fortress inhabited by ten maidens and their lovers. Its lord was Geogenant, a friend of Arthur’s Sir Durmart. The Lady of the castle was called Dyonise.
Castle of the Ball
Chastel de la Pelote

A manor near Cambenic in which Gawain lodged upon returning from his quest for the Grail Sword. Its knights were in the habit of protecting local travelers.
Castle of the Beards

A fortress whose knights would require the beard of any passers-by as a toll; with the beards, they made hair shirts for the local hermits. Lancelot ended the custom by slaying the participating knights. The lady of the Castle of the Beards wished Lancelot as a husband, but he left and did not return.
Castle of the Borderlands

The Livre d’Artus refers to an episode in which Gawain fought Guinganbresil (Guigambresil) at the Castle of the Borderlands. Guinganbresil’s sister had given birth to a son begotten by Gawain. She was distressed that her brother and lover were fighting, so she kept placing herself and her child between them. In the First Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval, Gawain fights an identical duel against Brandelis, rather than Guinganbresil, at the Castle of Lis.
Castle of the Deadly Bed

See Deadly Bed, Castle of the.
Castle of the Door
Castel du Port

A castle visited by Gawain, who learned that the castle’s residents were under attack by Gernemant of Northumberland.

Gernemant had asked the castle’s lord for the hand of his daughter. When the castellan refused, Gernemant said that if the castellan did not provide a champion in a year, he would take the maiden by force and give her to his vilest stable boys. Gawain arrived just before the year was out, championed the castellan, and slew Gernemant. Gawain fell in love with the maiden, but she would not believe him when he revealed his identity. After Gawain left the castle, the maiden went to Arthur’s court, and upon receiving confirmation that her savior was truly Gawain, remained there to wait for him. They were joyously reunited at the end of Gawain’s adventures and became lovers.
Castle of the Enchantress

A castle in Sorelois, the kingdom ruled by Galehaut.
Castle of the Enchantress

A castle in Ireland ruled by King Anguish. Anguish called a tournament at the castle, on the fields of Fregolo, which Tristan won.
Castle of the Fens

A castle ruled by King Agravadain the Black, who assisted Arthur in the Saxon Wars. It was visited by Merlin and Ban, the latter of whom, because of an enchantment cast by Merlin, slept with Agravadain’s daughter, begetting Hector.

During Hector’s adventures, he was imprisoned at the Castle of the Fens after he slew Mataliz, the lord’s son, which means either that the castle had a change of ownership, or that it occurred at a different castle of the same name. Hector won his freedom by championing the lord’s niece, Elaine the Peerless, against her husband.
Castle of the Four Stones
Chastel des Quatre Pierres

Sir Balan visited this castle, where he heard news of his brother Balin. It was in Bagdemagus's kingdom. Perhaps it was somewhere mountainous, or near a dolmen or cromlech, and hence got its name. According to Vulgate, Meliagrant's body, after Lancelot killed him, was taken to the Castle of Four Stones.

From this it would appear that Four Stones was either Meliagrant's own castle, or the castle of a friend.
Castle of the Galleys

A seaside castle in Wales, ruled by the Queen of the Maidens. Perceval saved the castle from an attack by his own uncle, the King of the Castle Mortal.
Castle of the Giants
Castle of Giants

A fortress on the Island of the Elephants, belonging to Perceval’s foe, the Knight of the Burning Dragon.
Castle of the Griffins

A fortress visited by Lancelot. Any knight who entered had to propose marriage to the castellan’s daughter and then try to pull a spear out of a pillar. All knights failed, and were beheaded by the castle’s lord. Lancelot alone succeeded, which enraged the castellan so much that he threw Lancelot into his prison. The daughter helped Lancelot escape past the fierce griffin guards.
Castle of the Guard
Chastel de la Garde

A castle constructed by Arthur and presented to Sir Tor in the First Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval. In Durmart le Gallois, a castle of the same name is ruled by Felon of the Guard, a knight defeated by Durmart.
Castle of the Hard Rock
Dure Roche, Rocca Dura

In Perlesvaus, the castle is occupied by Brian of the Isles, Kay, and Meliant when they invaded Britain and waged war against Arthur. In the prose Tristan, it is a castle owned by Arthur, where the king and Guenevere held a tournament in the heyday of Arthur's reign, between Arthur and the kings of Scotland and Ireland.

Tristram "won the tournament of the Castle of Maidens that standeth by the Hard Rock". From this it appears that the Castle of the Hard Rock either was near to or identical with a Castle of Maidens.

Roche Dure or Hard Rock may have been an earlier or an alternative name for it.
Castle of the Horn
Castel del Cor

The fortress ruled by the Lord of the Horn in the Land of the Horn. The name of the castle reflected a horn hanging outside which, when blown, summond the Lord to fight. Perceval blew the horn and defeated the Lord in combat.
Castle of the Horn

A castle in Gaul captured by Arthur during his war with Claudas. Arthur gave it to Bors who, in turn, bestowed it on the (unnamed) husband of the Lady of the Lake.
Castle of the Lake
Castello del Lago

The Lady of the Lake's castle in La Tavola Ritonda.
Castle of the Marsh
Castel de la Marche, March Castle

A castle ruled by Count Bedoin. [More]
Castle of the Mills
Castel del Molin, Chastel des Mollins

A group of mills in Ireland fortified into a stronghold. It was commanded by Sir Procidas, a servant of Queen Fenise of Ireland.
Castle of the Moors
Chastel des Landes

An Irish castle which belonged to King Anguish, Isolde’s father, and was governed by the Maiden of the Moors. It was the site of a tournament, the winner of which was to become the Maiden’s husband. Palamedes won the tournament but declined to marry the Maiden.
Castle of the Most Ill Adventure
Castel of the Hevy Sorow, Chastel de Pesme Aventure, Encounter with Adventure

A castle visited by Yvain. See Castel of the Hevy Sorow.
Castle of the Mountain
Castle of the Mount

A castle belonging to Sir Dalam, an enemy of Dinadan.
Castle of the Pass

A castle in Cornwall.
Castle of the Plain

A fortress where Lamorat won a tournament.
Castle of the Rock
Castel de la Rocet

In the Third Continuation of Chrétien’s Perceval, a castle ruled by Silimac of the Rock, a knight killed while traveling with Gawain. In the Prose Tristan, a castle by this name is on the border between Lyonesse and Cornwall.
Castle of the Thorn

A castle in northern Britain where two young warriors, Dodinel and Kay of Estral, met and decided to oppose their families by taking service with Arthur. It is also named as the castle ruled by Tericam (Turquine), the tyrant slain by Lancelot.
Castle of the Two Sisters

A castle where Guiron the Courteous and Danain the Red defeated King Meliadus of Lyonesse and King Lac.
Castle of the Uncourteous Lady

A knight who accepted the hospitality of this castle would do well to keep his sword handy at all times.

And so Sir Percivale ... came upon a bridge of stone, and there he found a knight that was bound with a chain fast about the waist unto a pillar of stone ... said that knight: I am a knight of the Table Round, and my name is Sir Persides; and thus by adventure I came this way, and here I lodged in this castle at the bridge foot, and therein dwelleth an uncourteous lady; and because she proffered me to be her paramour, and I refused her, she set her men upon me suddely or ever I might come to my weapon; and thus they bound me, and here I wot well I shall die but if some man of worship break my bands.

Percivale broke his bonds, despite the efforts of an armed knight who came riding out of the castle onto the bridge to prevent him. He then made the Uncourteous Lady, who stood in the tower watching them, deliver up all of Persides' servants, and threatened to stay around and fordo her evil customs. Deciding, however, that his present business (looking for Lancelot) was more pressing, he left her alone and spent the night at Persides' castle, which must have been nearby.

The castle of the Uncourteous Lady was in the vicinity of Cardican Castle (Cardigan). From Vulgate V, it appears that the name of this castle may be Garantan (Galanton). The Vulgate account, however, differs enough from Malory's to make me uncertain.
Castle of the Whale
Castle of the Whales

An island castle ruled by the malicious Lord Gohart. Perceval defeated Gohart in battle, took control of the castle, and awarded it to his cousin, Sir Calobrus.
Castle of Three Maidens

A castle besieged by the evil Harpin the Red. Hector of the Fens and the King with a Hundred Knights rescued the castle.
Castle Orguelleus
'Proud' | Orguellous, Orguilleux

This castle appears in several romances, but was first mention in Chrétien's Perceval. [More]
Castle Perilous

A castle, near the Isle of Avalon, in which Sir Ironside, the Red Knight of the Red Lands, besieged the damsel Lyones (Lyonors) and held her prisoner until he was defeated by Sir Gareth. Afterwards, a friendly tournament was held at the castle between King Arthur and a collection of opposing knights.
Castle Rushen

Beneath this castle on the Isle of Man are said to be giants, buried, or just imprisoned, in caves by Merlin who defeated them.
Castle Sauf

Arbrun ruled the Savage Realm and Castle Sauf.
Castle Treacherous
Castle of Treachery, Felon Castle, Treacherous Castle

A pagan castle which was ruled by Arpian. [More]
Castle Vortigern
Ganarew

A fortress built by Vortigern. Geoffrey of Monmouth calls it Ganarew.
Castle Without a Name
Castiel sans Non

A castle on the Island that Floats, ruled by the enchantress Lingrenote. Guengasoain, Gawain’s opponent in La Vengeance Raguidel, lodged at the castle and received magical arms from the sorceress.

Nightbringer.se

The Legend of King Arthur

Castle