HEREFORDSHIRE'S castles - past and present - are included in a newly published and lavishly illustrated comprehensive guide to the nation's fortresses.

Castles, by the splendidly titled Plantagenet Somerset Fry, is the latest revision of a classic bestseller which would grace any coffee table.

It lists, in A-Z and regional fashion, virtually every castle in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, whether it is a magnificent fortress, a crumbling pile of stones or just lumps and bumps in the landscape.

Hence the reference to a castle at Huntingdon, near Kington, built during the late 12th century but which is now long gone.

A castle at Kington itself is also mentioned, which was destroyed in 1216.

Most of the castles receive no more than a detailed paragraph or two but some, such as Goodrich, near Ross-on-Wye, gain a potted history and photograph in a panel.

Others, including Ludlow in neighbouring Shropshire, are given a double-page spread.

The book also includes short items about castles in general, how they were built, how they were used, life within a castle and how their role came to an end.

All in all, it's a vast subject, written by an expert and broken down into handy, bite-sized, informative chunks.

The author, who was the first editor of books at Her Majesty's Stationery Office, was a world renowned authority on castles who died in 1996.

The book is published by David & Charles Ltd and is available in hardback, priced £20, from all good bookshops.