Ashby-de-la-Zouch Castle

The castle was founded when the Normans settled in the region during the 12th century and made a fence around a main building. Over time they were added more buildings and expanded the walls until completing construction in the 15th century when the Hastings family took over care of the castle as granted by King Edward IV. The castle changed hands constantly, being damaged during the English Civil War and becoming very popular in the 19th century, when it was finally abandoned and descended into ruins. Its fame came when the Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott in 1819 published his famous novel "Ivanhoe" set in this castle, which means that even in ruins, it is well-visited.