Reviews for Cliff Castles and Cave Dwellings of Europe

The average rating for Cliff Castles and Cave Dwellings of Europe based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-10-08 00:00:00 Tim Miklaucic This book was written in 1911. At the time, many people still lived in ancient cave dwellings throughout Europe. Castles were built entirely inside of caves on cliff faces; Robbers hid in secret cave forts; The desperately poor took shelter in caves, and made them homes; monasteries and temples of forbidden religions were dug into the stone. People would find their well water going bad, go down to explore, and find the way into vast underground catacombs. Hermits built homes in remote mountains. Refugees hiding from raiders camped in dug out caves beneath their homes. The cave plans in the book are indistinguishable from those found in D&D modules, and the illustrations look like scenes from Skyrim. Certainly some of this influenced the invention of Hobbiton (e.g. Kinver Edge in Staffordshire) and Moria. The attitude of the author towards the lower classes who made their home in the caves is appalling to the point of being funny. For example, describing the Tinkers (who worked as itinerant tinsmiths when not in their cave homes) he mentions one attractive young man and young woman, and assumes that, being more highly evolved than their relatives, they will probably manage to get a job and escape the culture of poverty. He points out to one poor Irish woman that the workhouses are really quite comfortable these days, and she shouts at him that if she can manage to find one crust of bread a day she'll never go there. So, yeah, pretty culturally insensitive. There's a lot of discussion of the caves in Nottingham in particular, which have always fascinated me. Even during Napoleon's time, young men who would otherwise be drafted would disappear into caves in the forests. Several cave castles built by the English army in France are wonderfully depicted as well. It's a fascinating read, but bittersweet, since so much of this had recently been destroyed or was about to be destroyed to make way for railroads and so forth.

Review # 2 was written on 2013-11-27 00:00:00 Josie Windle This book contains anything you could ever want to know about natural and man-made caves, monasteries, castles, etc., and the people and stories surrounding those places. From ancient history to "modern times" (early 1900's), this book covers it all in great detail and with wonderful organization. Well worth the read! Get it free online at gutenberg.org.