- "There must always be a Stark in Winterfell."
- ―Catelyn Stark
The location of Winterfell on the continent of Westeros.
Winterfell is the seat of House Stark. It is a large castle located at the center of the North, from where the head of House Stark rules over his people. It is the capital of the North under King Robb Stark. The castle is located alongside the Kingsroad as it makes its way from the Wall to the capital at King's Landing, more than a thousand miles to the south. It is situated atop hot springs which keep the castle warm even in the worst winters.[1] Winding tombs below the castle contain the remains of Stark kings and lords and record the history of the ancient family.[2] The castle has stood for millennia.[3]
The castle is burnt after Theon Greyjoy's short occupation.[4]
Notable residents of the castle
- Lord {Eddard Stark}, the Lord of Winterfell, the ruler of the castle. Executed under charges of treason in King's Landing.
- His wife, Lady Catelyn Stark and their five children.
- King Robb I the new ruler of the North, away fighting in the War of the Five Kings.
- Sansa Stark, a captive in King's Landing.
- Arya Stark, missing in the Riverlands.
- Bran Stark, traveling to the Wall. Publicly believed dead, secretly fleeing north.
- Rickon Stark, traveling to the Wall. Publicly believed dead, secretly fleeing north.
- Jon Snow, Eddard Stark's bastard son. Now serving in the Night's Watch.
- Theon Greyjoy, raised at Winterfell as Eddard Stark's ward and hostage for his father's good behavior. Now fighting in the War of the Five Kings, for his father, Balon, self proclaimed King of the Iron Islands. He took over Winterfell and installed himself as Prince of Winterfell until he was betrayed by his own crew shortly after.
- Ser {Rodrik Cassel}, the master-of-arms at Winterfell, in charge of training fresh recruits with weapons. Executed by Theon Greyjoy.
- {Jory Cassel}, captain of the castle guard and nephew of Rodrik Cassel. Killed in King's Landing.
- {Luwin}, the castle's maester. Euthanized at his own request by Osha.
- {Mordane}, a septa and governess for Sansa and Arya Stark. Killed in King's Landing.
- {Old Nan}, a former retainer and servant, now retired. She still tells the Stark children stories about life in times gone by.
- Hodor, Old Nan's grandson or great-grandson, a stableboy of limited wits.
- Ros, a prostitute working in a brothel in Winterfell's outlying town. Now working in King's Landing.
- Osha, a captive wilding working as a servant, now secretly fleeing north alongside Bran and Rickon.
Behind the scenes
For the television series, a variety of locations were used to create Winterfell as it appears on screen. For the pilot episode, Doune Castle in Scotland was used for some exterior shots and the great feast held when King Robert Baratheon and his party arrive. Castle Ward in County Down, Northern Ireland was used for the scenes of sparring in Winterfell's castle yard and the arrival of Robert's party at Winterfell's gates. The rest of the castle, including the other interiors and the scenes involving Bran climbing the walls, were filmed as interiors at the Paint Hall studio facility in Belfast.
For the first season itself, Castle Ward was the principle filming location for the Winterfell scenes. Doune Castle was not revisited.
Image gallery
In the books
In the books Winterfell is a huge castle complex spanning several acres, consisting of two massive walls with a ditch between them and a village located just outside. The complex consists of many buildings and keeps, some ancient and decrepit, some in good repair. According to legend, Winterfell was built by Bran the Builder eight thousand years ago.
See also
References
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