Odiham Castle – At the End of the Rainbow

Not far away but I’d never heard about it until friends announced that they would attend the Magna Carta festival with their falconry. Interested in history, medieval re-enactment and looking forward to see our friends and their birds again we decided to go and were rewarded with a really nice day out.

What is the Magna Carta? To keep it short, the Magna Carta is the first document stating that every free man is subject to the law, even the king and that guarantees the right to justice. This charter was signed by King John of England on 15th June 1215.

Odiham Castle was built by King John of England as one of his strongholds between 1207 and 1214. The Castle is fairly small and now a ruin but it’s history is quite impressive. It had multiple floors and colourful lead windows. We were lucky and got a free tour by one of the volunteers that were helping during the Magna Carta festival. I am not sure whether guided tours are offered regularly or can be booked but there are also some info boards around the castle.

I haven’t taken many pictures during the festival. I might just have been interested in watching people showing their historic trades and listening to their stories rather than taking pictures. However, I have taken some pictures of Albion Historical Falconry, their remarkable show and birds. Albion Historical Falconry uses historical accurate training methods only. It is not the first show that I’ve seen but it is impressive to see these majestic birds working together with humans in a trusting and loving relationship.

The castle is situated in a lovely area between the Basingstoke Canal and Whitewater River close to the village North Warnborough. North Warnborough is a small village with many cottages that kept it character. A circular walk around the castle, village and area is sign posted. It’s well worth a walk and exploring a little bit.