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Fast Castle is the ruined remains of a coastal fortress in Berwickshire, south-east Scotland. There is evidence of Iron Age habitation here, and it was centrally positioned in the British kingdom of Bryneich. Fast Castle is first recorded in 1333. In 1346 the site was occupied by an English garrison and was used as a base to pillage the surrounding countryside.
The castle fell into the hands of the Home family in the late 15th century. It was destroyed in the chaos in 1515, and Alexander Home was executed in 1516 and his land forfeit.
The castle was rebuilt by 1522, but was conquered by English and Scotties armies several times. In the early 17th century it was already in ruins.
References:The Gravensteen is a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Arnulf I (918–965), Count of Flanders, was the first to fortify this place, building a medieval bastion on this high sand dune, naturally protected by the river Leie and its marshy banks. This bastion consisted of a central wooden building and several surrounding buildings, also in wood.
In the early 11th century, the wooden building was replaced by a stone residence, consisting of three large halls that made up three storeys, connected by a stone stairwell. The monumental stone staircase, the light openings, the fireplaces built into the walls and the latrines were signs of considerable luxury and comfort in those days. There was probably also a tower.