White Castle (Wales)
Encyclopedia
White Castle is a medieval castle
located in Monmouthshire
, Wales
. The name "White Castle" was first recorded in the thirteenth century, and was derived from the whitewash
put on the stone walls. The castle was originally called Llantilio Castle (recorded in the Pipe Rolls
in 1186), after Llantilio Crossenny
, the mediæval manor
of which it was a part. Known as one of the “Three Castles”, there has been a defensive structure at the site since the late eleventh century.
and Grosmont Castle
, all of which are located in the Monnow Valley
in south Wales
in modern-day Monmouthshire.
The River Monnow
valley was an important route between Hereford
and South Wales in medieval times, due to its position as an area of relatively open land, which provided a break between the river cliffs of the Wye Valley
to the south, and the hills around Abergavenny
to the west. The Three Castles are usually grouped together by historians because for almost their entire history they were part of a block of territory under the control of a single lord.
All three sites have evidence for early Norman
earthworks
, possibly built by William fitz Osbern
, who was made Earl of Hereford
by William the Conqueror a few months after the Norman Conquest of England
in 1066. From his castles at Monmouth
and Chepstow
, William was the first Norman lord to conquer central and eastern Monmouthshire, including the future sites for the Three Castles. The defenses raised at this time would have been of earth and timber, probably in the classic Norman motte-and-bailey
style.
Fitz Osbern died in 1071, and his lands were forfeited to the Crown after his son Roger de Breteuil was involved in a rebellion against King William in 1075. In order to prevent the rise of such a powerful magnate, the King divided up this strategically important territory – the only time in their active history that the Three Castles were owned separately. They were reunited by King Stephen
before July 1137 and would remain a single lordship until the nineteenth century.
There is little evidence of building activity at any of the castles until the late twelfth century, when they were fortified by Ralph of Grosmont, a Royal official who supervised building work for the King in Hereford
. Ralph was responsible for building the towering curtain wall around the inner ward in 1185–87. The castles were later completely overhauled by Hubert de Burgh
, who was granted lordship of the Three Castles by King John
in 1201. Control of the Three Castles was briefly granted to William de Braose
in 1205, when Hubert was a prisoner of Philip Augustus
, the King of France
, but William de Braose quickly fell out of favour, and by 1207 King John had forced him into ruin. Hubert de Burgh returned to power, and was appointed Justiciar
in 1215.
From his time fighting in France Hubert had a knowledge of the latest in military architecture, and in the years after 1219 he was a prosperous lord who had great influence with the young King Henry III. He rebuilt Skenfrith
between 1219 and 1222 and Grosmont
between 1224 and 1226 in stone, adding domestic apartments to both castles, so that they could be used as lordly residences. He held the Three Castles until 1239, although they were briefly taken from him after he fell out of Royal favour in 1232 (they were returned after his reconciliation to the King two years later). Hubert first added four round towers to the inner ward of White Castle in the period 1229 to 1232. One pair of these made the great gatehouse. After his return to royal favour in 1234 he added to the two great D-shaped towers to the inner ward and built the masonry outer ward. He was probably also responsible for demolishing the original square Norman tower keep. On the king resuming the castles in 1239 Hubert was said by Matthew Paris
to have spent a small fortune on their building.
After Hubert de Burgh, the Three Castles were held in Royal hands, and in 1254 Henry III granted them to his eldest son, the future Edward I
. In the 1260s the southern March was threatened by the Welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, who annexed the lordship of Brecon
, and attacked nearby Abergavenny
. Gilbert Talbot was appointed Constable of the Three Castles, and ordered to garrison them ‘at whatever cost’. Although Llewelyn’s attack on Abergavenny
failed, the Treaty of Montgomery
in 1267 recognized his southern conquests, and he was considered a significant threat.
1267 saw the Three Castles being granted to Edward’s younger brother Edmund, Earl of Lancaster. Although the Welsh threat was soon subdued with the death of Llywelyn in 1282, the Three Castles were used as residences and centres for local authority. The castles passed down through the Earls of Lancaster until the death of Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster, whose daughter Blanche
married John of Gaunt
, son of Edward III
. John of Gaunt was made Duke of Lancaster in 1364, and the Three Castles would remain part of the Duchy of Lancaster until 1825. John and Blanche’s son, Henry of Bolingbroke
, deposed Richard II
in 1399 and became King as Henry IV, at which time the Three Castles also became Royal possessions once more.
Although the Three Castles briefly saw action during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr
in 1404–05, they never again played a major role in military affairs. Henry VI
carried out repairs to White Castle and Skenfrith Castle in the mid fifteenth century, but by 1538 the castles were abandoned, and ruinous. In 1825 the Duchy of Lancaster sold the castles to the duke of Beaufort
, whose estate divided them and sold each to different local landowners in 1902. White Castle was given to the State in 1922, followed by Grosmont in 1923. Skenfrith passed through several hands before being given to the National Trust
. All three castles are now conserved and maintained by Cadw
, and are open to the public.
, and a crescent shaped outer bailey
to the south known as the hornwork. To the north of the inner ward was a large area enclosed by a defensive bank, which may have been used for armies in the field to camp in safety, without fear of a surprise attack.
The earliest buildings and walls were almost certainly built of wood, although a square stone keep
was added sometime before the stewardship of Ralph of Grosmont, who recorded an expenditure on “the dwelling in the tower of Llantilio” in the Pipe Rolls of 1186–87, implying that structure was already present. Further monies spent at the site were most likely for the construction of a stone curtain wall around the inner ward.
Like its fellow Monnow Valley strongholds, White Castle was significantly altered by Hubert de Burgh as has been described above. The orientation of the castle
shifted, with entry no longer through the southern hornwork. Instead, a new twin-towered gatehouse
was built at the northern end of the inner ward. Wooden drawbridge
s would have controlled access from both the north and the south of the castle. Within the inner ward there would have been residences, great hall
, a chapel
, kitchen
and brewhouse
. Hubert's work here can be compared to Montgomery Castle
which he also held and helped design between 1223 and 1232.
The hornwork, now at the rear of the castle, was maintained as a defense for a small rear postern gate
. The northern enclosure, previously defended by an earthwork, was built into a large outer bailey
, with four projecting towers and a gatehouse on its eastern corner. Geophysical
evidence suggests that there were small timber buildings within the walls of the outer ward, as well one large building, thought to be used as a barn.
during the period when he was held in Maindiff Court Military Hospital at Abergavenny, between 1942 and his trial in 1945.
The castle
today stands in partial ruin, although there have been few significant losses to time. The stone walls and towers of the inner and outer ward still stand, although their inner floors are missing, as are portions of the upper level of the walls. A modern wooden bridge http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/168047 spans the moat
between the inner and outer ward, and within one tower of the inner gatehouse the stairwell has been restored, allowing access to the top of the tower, and a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.
The castle is maintained by Cadw
, and access is controlled during the summer months. The rest of the year the castle is an open site, and may be visited at any reasonable time of day. White Castle is located 1 mile
north of the village of Llantilio Crossenny
, along the B4233 between Monmouth
and Abergavenny
.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
located in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The name "White Castle" was first recorded in the thirteenth century, and was derived from the whitewash
Whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a very low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime and chalk . Various other additives are also used...
put on the stone walls. The castle was originally called Llantilio Castle (recorded in the Pipe Rolls
Pipe Rolls
The Pipe rolls, sometimes called the Great rolls, are a collection of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, or Treasury. The earliest date from the 12th century, and the series extends, mostly complete, from then until 1833. They form the oldest continuous series of records kept by...
in 1186), after Llantilio Crossenny
Llantilio Crossenny
Llantilio Crossenny is a small village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom.- Location :The rural village of Llantilio Crossenny is situated between the two towns of Abergavenny and Monmouth on the B4223 road.- Amenities :...
, the mediæval manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of which it was a part. Known as one of the “Three Castles”, there has been a defensive structure at the site since the late eleventh century.
History of “The Three Castles”
The term “The Three Castles” is used to collectively describe White Castle, Skenfrith CastleSkenfrith Castle
Skenfrith Castle is a medieval castle located in Monmouthshire, Wales. The castle is in the centre of the village of Skenfrith, located on the banks of the River Monnow, just five miles to the north of the town of Monmouth...
and Grosmont Castle
Grosmont Castle
Grosmont Castle is a ruined castle in Grosmont, Monmouthshire very near the present English / Welsh border, approximately 8 miles northeast of Abergavenny, between Abergavenny, Hereford and Monmouth.-Grosmont Castle:...
, all of which are located in the Monnow Valley
River Monnow
The River Monnow flows through south-west Herefordshire, England and eastern Monmouthshire, Wales.- Border River :For much of its short length it marks the border between England and Wales before it joins the River Wye at Monmouth. The Wye is also half English from Monmouth until it meets the...
in south Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in modern-day Monmouthshire.
The River Monnow
River Monnow
The River Monnow flows through south-west Herefordshire, England and eastern Monmouthshire, Wales.- Border River :For much of its short length it marks the border between England and Wales before it joins the River Wye at Monmouth. The Wye is also half English from Monmouth until it meets the...
valley was an important route between Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
and South Wales in medieval times, due to its position as an area of relatively open land, which provided a break between the river cliffs of the Wye Valley
River Wye
The River Wye is the fifth-longest river in the UK and for parts of its length forms part of the border between England and Wales. It is important for nature conservation and recreation.-Description:...
to the south, and the hills around Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
to the west. The Three Castles are usually grouped together by historians because for almost their entire history they were part of a block of territory under the control of a single lord.
All three sites have evidence for early Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
earthworks
Earthworks (engineering)
Earthworks are engineering works created through the moving or processing of quantities of soil or unformed rock.- Civil engineering use :Typical earthworks include roads, railway beds, causeways, dams, levees, canals, and berms...
, possibly built by William fitz Osbern
William Fitzosbern, 1st Earl of Hereford
William FitzOsbern , Lord of Breteuil, in Normandy, was a relative and close counsellor of William the Conqueror and one of the great magnates of early Norman England...
, who was made Earl of Hereford
Earl of Hereford
The title of Earl of Hereford was created six times in the Peerage of England. See also Duke of Hereford, Viscount Hereford. Dates indicate the years the person held the title for.-Earls of Hereford, First Creation :*Swegen Godwinson...
by William the Conqueror a few months after the Norman Conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066. From his castles at Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
and Chepstow
Chepstow Castle
Chepstow Castle , located in Chepstow, Monmouthshire in Wales, on top of cliffs overlooking the River Wye, is the oldest surviving post-Roman stone fortification in Britain...
, William was the first Norman lord to conquer central and eastern Monmouthshire, including the future sites for the Three Castles. The defenses raised at this time would have been of earth and timber, probably in the classic Norman motte-and-bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
style.
Fitz Osbern died in 1071, and his lands were forfeited to the Crown after his son Roger de Breteuil was involved in a rebellion against King William in 1075. In order to prevent the rise of such a powerful magnate, the King divided up this strategically important territory – the only time in their active history that the Three Castles were owned separately. They were reunited by King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
before July 1137 and would remain a single lordship until the nineteenth century.
There is little evidence of building activity at any of the castles until the late twelfth century, when they were fortified by Ralph of Grosmont, a Royal official who supervised building work for the King in Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
. Ralph was responsible for building the towering curtain wall around the inner ward in 1185–87. The castles were later completely overhauled by Hubert de Burgh
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent
Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent was Earl of Kent, Justiciar of England and Ireland, and one of the most influential men in England during the reigns of John and Henry III.-Birth and family:...
, who was granted lordship of the Three Castles by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
in 1201. Control of the Three Castles was briefly granted to William de Braose
William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, , 4th Lord of Bramber , court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle.-Lineage:William was the most...
in 1205, when Hubert was a prisoner of Philip Augustus
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
, the King of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, but William de Braose quickly fell out of favour, and by 1207 King John had forced him into ruin. Hubert de Burgh returned to power, and was appointed Justiciar
Justiciar
In medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
in 1215.
From his time fighting in France Hubert had a knowledge of the latest in military architecture, and in the years after 1219 he was a prosperous lord who had great influence with the young King Henry III. He rebuilt Skenfrith
Skenfrith
Skenfrith is a small village in Monmouthshire, south-east Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is located on the River Monnow, close to the border between Wales and England, about 6 miles north-west of Monmouth.- History and amenities :...
between 1219 and 1222 and Grosmont
Grosmont Castle
Grosmont Castle is a ruined castle in Grosmont, Monmouthshire very near the present English / Welsh border, approximately 8 miles northeast of Abergavenny, between Abergavenny, Hereford and Monmouth.-Grosmont Castle:...
between 1224 and 1226 in stone, adding domestic apartments to both castles, so that they could be used as lordly residences. He held the Three Castles until 1239, although they were briefly taken from him after he fell out of Royal favour in 1232 (they were returned after his reconciliation to the King two years later). Hubert first added four round towers to the inner ward of White Castle in the period 1229 to 1232. One pair of these made the great gatehouse. After his return to royal favour in 1234 he added to the two great D-shaped towers to the inner ward and built the masonry outer ward. He was probably also responsible for demolishing the original square Norman tower keep. On the king resuming the castles in 1239 Hubert was said by Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris
Matthew Paris was a Benedictine monk, English chronicler, artist in illuminated manuscripts and cartographer, based at St Albans Abbey in Hertfordshire...
to have spent a small fortune on their building.
After Hubert de Burgh, the Three Castles were held in Royal hands, and in 1254 Henry III granted them to his eldest son, the future Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
. In the 1260s the southern March was threatened by the Welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffudd, who annexed the lordship of Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
, and attacked nearby Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
. Gilbert Talbot was appointed Constable of the Three Castles, and ordered to garrison them ‘at whatever cost’. Although Llewelyn’s attack on Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
failed, the Treaty of Montgomery
Treaty of Montgomery
By means of the Treaty of Montgomery , Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was acknowledged as Prince of Wales by the English king Henry III, the only time in history that an English ruler would recognise the right of a ruler of Gwynedd over Wales...
in 1267 recognized his southern conquests, and he was considered a significant threat.
1267 saw the Three Castles being granted to Edward’s younger brother Edmund, Earl of Lancaster. Although the Welsh threat was soon subdued with the death of Llywelyn in 1282, the Three Castles were used as residences and centres for local authority. The castles passed down through the Earls of Lancaster until the death of Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster, whose daughter Blanche
Blanche of Lancaster
Blanche of Lancaster, Duchess of Lancaster was an English noblewoman and heiress, daughter of England's wealthiest and most powerful peer, Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster...
married John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, son of Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. John of Gaunt was made Duke of Lancaster in 1364, and the Three Castles would remain part of the Duchy of Lancaster until 1825. John and Blanche’s son, Henry of Bolingbroke
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
, deposed Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
in 1399 and became King as Henry IV, at which time the Three Castles also became Royal possessions once more.
Although the Three Castles briefly saw action during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
in 1404–05, they never again played a major role in military affairs. Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
carried out repairs to White Castle and Skenfrith Castle in the mid fifteenth century, but by 1538 the castles were abandoned, and ruinous. In 1825 the Duchy of Lancaster sold the castles to the duke of Beaufort
Duke of Beaufort
Duke of Beaufort is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Charles II in 1682 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, a Lancastrian leader in the Wars of the...
, whose estate divided them and sold each to different local landowners in 1902. White Castle was given to the State in 1922, followed by Grosmont in 1923. Skenfrith passed through several hands before being given to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. All three castles are now conserved and maintained by Cadw
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
, and are open to the public.
Building of White Castle
The earliest castle at this site consisted of two earthworks – the pear shaped inner ward with a surrounding water-filled moatMoat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
, and a crescent shaped outer bailey
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
to the south known as the hornwork. To the north of the inner ward was a large area enclosed by a defensive bank, which may have been used for armies in the field to camp in safety, without fear of a surprise attack.
The earliest buildings and walls were almost certainly built of wood, although a square stone keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
was added sometime before the stewardship of Ralph of Grosmont, who recorded an expenditure on “the dwelling in the tower of Llantilio” in the Pipe Rolls of 1186–87, implying that structure was already present. Further monies spent at the site were most likely for the construction of a stone curtain wall around the inner ward.
Like its fellow Monnow Valley strongholds, White Castle was significantly altered by Hubert de Burgh as has been described above. The orientation of the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
shifted, with entry no longer through the southern hornwork. Instead, a new twin-towered gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
was built at the northern end of the inner ward. Wooden drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
s would have controlled access from both the north and the south of the castle. Within the inner ward there would have been residences, great hall
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
, a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
and brewhouse
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
. Hubert's work here can be compared to Montgomery Castle
Montgomery Castle
Montgomery Castle is a stone masonry castle looking over the town of Montgomery in Powys, mid Wales. It is one of many Norman castles on the border between Wales and England.- Motte & Bailey Castle :...
which he also held and helped design between 1223 and 1232.
The hornwork, now at the rear of the castle, was maintained as a defense for a small rear postern gate
Postern
A postern is a secondary door or gate, particularly in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall. Posterns were often located in a concealed location, allowing the occupants to come and go inconspicuously. In the event of a siege, a postern could act as a sally port, allowing...
. The northern enclosure, previously defended by an earthwork, was built into a large outer bailey
Ward (fortification)
In fortifications, a bailey or ward refers to a courtyard enclosed by a curtain wall. In particular, an early type of European castle was known as a Motte-and-bailey. Castles can have more than one ward. Their layout depends both on the local topography and the level of fortification technology...
, with four projecting towers and a gatehouse on its eastern corner. Geophysical
Geophysics
Geophysics is the physics of the Earth and its environment in space; also the study of the Earth using quantitative physical methods. The term geophysics sometimes refers only to the geological applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational and magnetic fields; its internal structure and...
evidence suggests that there were small timber buildings within the walls of the outer ward, as well one large building, thought to be used as a barn.
Visiting the castle
White Castle was frequently visited and, apparently, painted by German Deputy Führer Rudolf HessRudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a prominent Nazi politician who was Adolf Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party during the 1930s and early 1940s...
during the period when he was held in Maindiff Court Military Hospital at Abergavenny, between 1942 and his trial in 1945.
The castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
today stands in partial ruin, although there have been few significant losses to time. The stone walls and towers of the inner and outer ward still stand, although their inner floors are missing, as are portions of the upper level of the walls. A modern wooden bridge http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/168047 spans the moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
between the inner and outer ward, and within one tower of the inner gatehouse the stairwell has been restored, allowing access to the top of the tower, and a commanding view of the surrounding countryside.
The castle is maintained by Cadw
Cadw
-Conservation and Protection:Many of Wales's great castles and other monuments, such as bishop's palaces, historic houses, and ruined abbeys, are now in Cadw's care. Cadw does not own them but is responsible for their upkeep and for making them accessible to the public...
, and access is controlled during the summer months. The rest of the year the castle is an open site, and may be visited at any reasonable time of day. White Castle is located 1 mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
north of the village of Llantilio Crossenny
Llantilio Crossenny
Llantilio Crossenny is a small village in Monmouthshire, south east Wales, in the United Kingdom.- Location :The rural village of Llantilio Crossenny is situated between the two towns of Abergavenny and Monmouth on the B4223 road.- Amenities :...
, along the B4233 between Monmouth
Monmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
and Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
.
See also
- Three Castles WalkThree Castles WalkThe Three Castles Walk is a waymarked long distance footpath and recreational walk in in north-east Monmouthshire, Wales.-Route:The route links Skenfrith Castle Grosmont Castle and White Castle It follows woods and hills and takes the walker over Graig Syfyrddin , from which there are views of...
- Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
- List of castles in England
Further reading
- Davies, R.R. Lordship and Society in the March of Wales 1282-1400 (Oxford, 1978)
- Davies, R.R. Conquest, Coexistence and Change: Wales 1063-1415 (Oxford, 1987); reprinted in paperback as, The Age of Conquest: Wales 1063-1415 (Oxford 1991)
- Knight, Jeremy K. “The Road to Harlech: Aspects of Some Early Thirteenth-Century Welsh Castles”, in J.R. Kenyon and R. Avent, eds. Castles in Wales and the Marches (Cardiff, 1987), pp. 75–88
- Renn, D.F. “Round Keeps of the Brecon Region”, Archaeologica Cambrensis, 110 (1961), pp. 129–43
- Roderick, A.J. and Rees, W., “The Lordships of Abergavenny, Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle: Accounts of the Ministers for the year 1256-57”, South Wales and Monmouth Record Society Publications, 2 (1953), pp. 68–125; 3 (1954), pp. 22–47
- Radford, C.A.R., White Castle (HMSO 1962)
- Remfry, P.M., White Castle, 1066 to 1438 (ISBN 1-899376-42-9)