What is the different between a castle, house, hall, court, etc??

Question

I've been watching The Tutors and have spent a lot of time in England, but never heard what the difference is in these titles. I've been to a place called "Hampton Court" where the royalty once lived and to Windsor Castle, Heever Castle, Warwick Castle, Blackmore House, Raggly Hall...what determines the title of these places?

I think I once heard that if it has a chapel in it it is called a castle or something like that.

Thanks!

Answer 1

The difference between a castle, house, hall or court is determined where these royal residences are located.

A "Palace" is a grand residence, the official royal residence of a monarch. This is where the monarch will conduct all of its ceremonies, meetings with the Prime Minister, privy council members, and other government officials, therefore it must be close to the Parliament. This is where the monarch will usually reside throughout the entire year.

For example Buckingham Palace is where the Queen lives and where she works during the year. It is located right in the heart of London and close to the Parliament, also where the central power is located. Hampton Court Palace, Greenwich Palace, Richmond Palace, Whitehall Palace, Palace of Westminster are all located in London, England.

A "Hall or Court" is an enormous country home usually out in the countryside. It serves as a private home and/or summer house for the royals and the nobles usually built on a smaller scale than a palace. For example, Ragley Hall  is located south of Alcester, Warwickshire, eight miles west of Stratford-upon-Avon, a small town in England.

A "Castle" serves as a residence of a monarch or noble and commands a specific territory, usually out in the country as well. For example, Windsor Castle is located in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, Heaver Castle is located in Kent, county in southeast England and started off as a country home for the nobles.

Answer 2

A castle was originally like a fortress. Defensible. It is usually from medieval period.  I think A hall or court are just different  names for a large manor house or "stately home".

Answer 3

A castle is by definition designed for defence  - i.e. it must have defensible walls and gates, etc. Whether it has a chapel or not is entirely immaterial.

The other words you cite are less specific and it's pretty much random whether a given posh house is called Blank House, Blank Hall or Blank Court. There is no pecking order - you can't say that "a Hall is posher than a Court". There's just no rule to it. Some of the biggest and grandest houses in England are simply called "Soandso House"; for example Chatsworth House, in Derbyshire, the home of the Dukes of Devonshire, is bigger than many German princes' palaces.

BTW, a bishop's residence is called a "palace". Some bishops' palaces are pretty big, others are crumbling medieval near-ruins.