In the summer of 1099, the First Crusade reached its final objective: Jerusalem. After years of marching across Anatolia and Syria, the crusading armies stood before the fortified walls of the holy city. The defenders were prepared. The attackers were exhausted but determined. On July 13, the assault began. Siege towers were rolled forward under missile fire. Battering rams pounded gates. Archers loosed volleys upward at defenders lining the parapets. Among the leaders in the northern sector sto

Did you know there is a castle out in Castle Semple, Lochwinnoch? Peel Tower of Lochwinnoch on the boardwalk at RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve Peel Tower stands on a small peninsula jutting into Castle Semple Loch in Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire. It’s one of the most photographed landmarks in the village – especially at sunrise and sunset when the water’s calm. 📜 A Bit of History • Built around 1500 • Originally part of the Semple family estate • Thought to have been a defensive tower house (a sm