America's little-known castles, displaying 'raw power,' are hiding in plain sight

Historian Dan Jones Traces the World’s Castles, From Troy to the American Civil War

London – British historian Dan Jones, known for his sweeping studies of medieval Europe, recently told Fox News Digital that his new book, Castles: A Fortified History of the World, takes readers on a 3,000‑year tour of fortifications—from Iron‑Age hillforts and the legendary Sack of Troy to nuclear bunkers of the Cold War. The work, Jones says, shows that the story of the castle is a global one that runs deep into the present.

A global catalogue of fortresses

Jones’ book catalogues castles and fortifications in a variety of cultures and eras. “It’s a 3,000‑year journey through human history,” he said, noting that the narrative spans the rise of the Roman Empire, the medieval age, the industrial revolution, and the nuclear age. The work even looks at Japan’s famed Himeji Castle and to the highly fortified, almost bunker‑like structures built during the Cold War.

“Without including the American side of the story, we can’t fully understand the history of the castle,” Jones told Fox News. “America has its own line of fortifications, from early settlements to Civil‑War forts, and they are an essential chapter.”

The American forts that changed the game

Jones highlights two Civil‑War‑era forts that illustrate the evolution of siege warfare. First, he points to Fort Sumter in South Carolina, whose first shots in April 1861 opened the war. The coastal fortress, with thick brick walls and artillery emplacements, was described by Jones as “one of the descendants of castles that emerged in America.”

The second example is Fort Pulaski, located in Georgia. In 1862, Union forces bombarded the fort with rifled cannons—then the most advanced artillery in the world. The walls, which had been considered nearly impregnable, collapsed in less than two days, according to Jones. “Fort Pulaski was blown to bits in 48 hours, and that was a transformative moment in the whole history of castle building,” he said.

Jones added that the dramatic fall of Pulaski underscored a shift in military architecture, signaling that even the most formidable stone walls could be rendered vulnerable by advances in firepower.

Castles as symbols of power

Beyond military uses, Jones observes that castles have long served as status symbols. He cites a range of American examples—including the Hearst Castle in California, the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and the Belcourt mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. “The grand estates built during America’s Gilded Age followed the same tradition as the magnificent residences of medieval kings and nobles,” he said.

Even theme‑park architecture has not escaped the influence of the castle motif. Jones named Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle, erected in 1955, as a modern testament to the enduring appeal of the medieval stronghold. “These are as much a part of the story of castles as the classic medieval stronghold,” he remarked.

The darker side of the stone walls

While castles often evoke images of romance, Jones notes that many have also been sites of torture and execution. He refers to the Tower of London, where Anne Boleyn was beheaded and Guy Fawkes was tortured after the 1605 Gunpowder Plot. “I’ve had dinner in the room in which Guy Fawkes was stretched out on the rack after the Gunpowder Plot,” Jones told Fox News, describing the experience as “a slightly grisly place to be.”

The historian points out that castles have played a variety of roles—prisons, zoos, mints, and royal residences—making their legacy complex and multifaceted.

The enduring purpose of the castle

Despite the varied uses and often grim history, Jones argues that castles share a single underlying purpose: protecting what people value. “Somewhere deep down the story of the castle is the story of building places to protect the things we love,” he said. “That’s what connects the whole history of fortification and castle building all the way back to almost the dawn of recorded history.”

Castles: A Fortified History of the World promises to be a comprehensive look at these monumental structures, showing how the quest for security and status has shaped architecture across continents and millennia. The book is slated for release in the coming months, and scholars and castle enthusiasts alike look forward to a deeper understanding of the world’s most iconic fortifications.