Wrenstone Castle

2010-05-17T21:24:00.002-04:00

The castle is nearing completion: some of the crenelation is done.

2010-01-08T12:14:00.003-05:00

Out of character for this post: there are some extra challenges when building a castle around young children.

2009-01-22T22:04:00.001-05:00

Ducking under the sawhorses, he just might make it!

2009-01-22T21:59:00.003-05:00

Of course, now Frank has to get back to the castle himself. His buddies are already inside, grabbing weapons from the armory. Sir Walter and Geoffery will hold the doorway in the meantime. Will Frank make it?

2009-01-22T21:55:00.001-05:00

Frank's idea worked pretty well, I'd say.

2009-01-22T21:50:00.002-05:00

The fellow with the handkerchief on his head is Frances, only he makes everyone call him Frank. He had the presence of mind to swing that big plank around, while his buddy is diving out of the way. Maybe Frank can buy them some time, while Sir Walter and Geoffery grab the weapons that just happen to be upstairs and rush down.

2009-01-22T21:40:00.002-05:00

Obviously, the bad guys (Sir Walter says they're Brickovians, from the neighboring province. He said he'll explain some other time, and to stop asking so many questions) are depending on surprise, so the Legolanders will have to sprint for the castle. At least Geoffery has spotted the trouble and is raising the alarm!

2009-01-22T21:33:00.002-05:00

It seems Sir Walter and his men aren't the only ones in the neighborhood, and the neighbors aren't necessarily friendly.

See the guy in green? He once worked for Sir Walter, but was fired, though no one knows quite why. Shoddy workmanship most likely, or maybe he wasn't quite sober when he showed up for work. In any case, it seems that he has a grudge.

2009-01-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

Down below, workers cut and hammer together the beams for the ceiling. Just another long day on the construction site.

2009-01-22T21:17:00.003-05:00

The final floor is nearing completion. Above it is only the battlements and the pitched roof.

Sir Walter and Geoffery discuss fireplace design while a patient builder waits for them to make up their minds.

2008-06-30T23:08:00.002-04:00

In the Knight's Room, Walter and Geoffery examine the blueprints and discuss details, like whether that's really the best place for the fireplace.

2008-06-30T23:05:00.000-04:00

This will be the Lady's Room.

2008-06-30T22:36:00.001-04:00

Fourth floor landing. This will probably be a sitting area, maybe for Lady Wrenstone and her ladies. The stairs will go up to the roof, and the guardroom.

2008-06-30T22:27:00.005-04:00

The castle is far enough along now that Sir Walter has brought a cart with him, and plans to stay. His family will be along later, when the castle is nearly finished. Hmm, a guard...does that say something about what's in the cart?

While the guards unload the cart and the workers get back to work, Sir Walter and Geoffery go inside to look at the progress.

2008-01-13T19:31:00.000-05:00

These giant beams still take a lot of manhandling, and a lot of men, too!

Next up: the fourth and last floor, which will be a suite for Sir Walter and his lady.

2008-01-13T19:29:00.000-05:00

The castle's tall enough that they need a crane to get stuff to the top now.

2008-01-13T19:27:00.000-05:00

Other workers finish setting up for the joists.

2008-01-13T19:22:00.000-05:00

Sir Walter and a worker check that the interior walls are straight.

2008-01-13T19:17:00.001-05:00

Yes, it's been awhile, but construction has been going slowly. And another layer of bricks doesn't really merit a whole set of photos. But the third floor is nearly done, so here we go. This floor is mostly bedrooms, with the treasure room off the stairs---note the heavy reinforced door in some of the pictures.

2007-08-27T23:19:00.000-04:00

Sir Walter, Geoffery, and their men have started work on the third floor, which will be living quarters and guest rooms. Here, Sir Walter and Geoffery discuss plans, while down below a new delivery arrives.

It's the chandelier for the Great Hall.

It's very big and heavy!

Sir Walter can't help much with the chandelier, with only one hand, but he carries one of the chains in. They must be heavy, don't you think?

Lifting it into place...

Or not!

Geoffery takes over and makes sure it's done right.

I don't think Sir Walter is very happy with these hapless fellows...

But it's not damaged, and it will really light up the hall on dark winter nights.

2007-07-10T12:38:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the delay, the chronicler was having trouble finding his paintbrush...

The Great Hall has been finished and it's time to work on the ceiling, which is also the floor of the third story. So the castle is surrounded by piles and piles of slate; here it seems that the carters have broken a wheel.

It took workers weeks to build and install the joists, which are all interconnected for maximum strength.

Nailing down the last plank...

Oh good, the carters have fixed their cart.

Geoffery and his men start to lay down the slate over the massive joists.

2007-03-27T23:24:00.000-04:00

You can't build a castle quickly...Sir Walter's castle has been around long enough that ivy is starting to grow on the tower.

2007-03-27T23:22:00.000-04:00

Workers start carrying in planks for the ceiling. Soon they'll stop stonework for awhile to get the ceiling joists built and installed.

2007-03-27T23:20:00.000-04:00

Geoffery works on finishing the railing of the balcony over the cavernous fireplace.

2007-03-27T23:15:00.000-04:00

A load of long beams, specially cut in Sherwood Forest, arrives for use in the Great Hall ceiling.

2006-12-09T15:24:00.000-05:00

And take the poor fellow away for help.

2006-12-09T15:20:00.000-05:00

They carefully put him on the stretcher.

2006-12-09T15:19:00.000-05:00

That looked like it hurt...

2006-12-09T15:17:00.000-05:00

Uh-oh, the ladder is slipping!

2006-12-09T15:15:00.000-05:00

The great doorway is nearly done. Almost time to mount the doors!

2006-12-09T15:09:00.000-05:00

They've been working busily on the Great Hall.

2006-11-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

Another perspective as they set stones for the second floor. Notice that Geoffery is pitching in and breaking stones himself, not just standing around giving orders.

2006-11-06T22:55:00.000-05:00

Someone had a good idea, and suggested to Sir Walter that he really might want to have a well inside the castle! There's even a stone sink on the other side (where you can't see it) of the well, with a drain that leads outside the castle (if you're curious, you can see it in the earlier photo of Geoffery and company lifting the joist up the scaffolding).

2006-11-06T22:52:00.000-05:00

View of the finished first (kitchen) level.

2006-11-06T22:48:00.000-05:00

View from above, as Geoffery and his men work on the walls of the second level.

2006-11-04T22:19:00.000-05:00

Lots of things have been happening in Legoland: a serious rebellion to the east forced the King to call out all his knights, and so Sir Walter spent his summer in a tough campaign, instead of building his castle, as he had intended.

Happily, the fighting season is now over and new shipments of stone and timber have arrived, so work has resumed on the castle.

In these pictures, Geoffery and his men are putting in the last of the heavy timbers that will support the second-story floor.

2006-04-18T18:53:00.000-04:00

Detail of the stairway.

2006-04-18T18:50:00.000-04:00

The first (kitchen) level is just waiting on a set of light-gray hinges for the doors of the armoury, and then it'll be time to lay the joists and flooring for the second floor. The armoury probably needs some more armor mounts before it's done, too.

2006-04-18T18:49:00.000-04:00

Meanwhile, at the quarry they're loading up another cartload of fresh-cut stone blocks.

2006-04-18T18:47:00.000-04:00

Of course, there's always someone who'd rather lean on a shovel and watch than actually work...good thing Geoffery's on the other side of the castle!

2006-04-18T18:46:00.000-04:00

A stone-cutter at work. Sir Walter will need a lot of these workers.

2006-04-18T18:42:00.000-04:00

The castle is tall enough for scaffolding now.

2006-04-18T18:41:00.000-04:00

They're almost ready for joists.

2006-04-09T22:46:00.000-04:00

While this fireplace is for roasting (see the spit over the flames?) and baking.

2006-04-09T22:43:00.000-04:00

They've been working on the fireplaces. This kitchen fireplace is set up for cauldrons.

2006-04-09T22:40:00.000-04:00

Geoffery tells the workers where to measure for a rafter.

2006-04-09T22:38:00.000-04:00

There are always more stones to set.

2006-04-09T22:37:00.000-04:00

There's been some progress on the armoury.

2006-04-08T12:44:00.000-04:00

Sir Walter and Geoffery examine the plans.

Like most homeowners, sometimes Sir Walter changes his mind about where a wall or a door should go. The workers don't like to tear down and rebuild, but he's the boss.

2006-04-08T12:33:00.000-04:00

Sir Walter has just arrived for an inspection with his trusted squire, Geoffery, whom he's made foreman.

2006-04-08T12:28:00.000-04:00

Finally, Sir Walter was able to hire more men, so the work is going much faster now.

2006-04-08T12:27:00.000-04:00

It's hard work!

2006-04-08T12:19:00.000-04:00

But they kept at it. Sir Walter added another tower to the castle after he saw the foundations.

Note the kitchen ovens in the half-finished fireplace across from the workers.

2006-04-08T11:58:00.000-04:00

This is Sir Walter One-Hand. He lost his left hand serving with King Mathias on the Marches that border Legoland. For his loyal service, the king has given Sir Walter a large estate in the Marches. Now it's up to Sir Walter to build Wrenstone Castle and hold his part of Legoland for King Mathias.

When building first began, Walter had many duties to attend to and could only spare a few men to start work.