Monmouth Castle, Monmouth (South Wales)

Castle established by William fitz Osbern in the late eleventh century.

Summary 13th century buildings (or older)

Introduction

Castle established by William fitz Osbern in the late eleventh century. The remains of the great tower date to the first half of the twelfth century. Later remodelled by the Lancasters. Birthplace of Henry V.  

History to the present day

The first castle at Monmouth would have been wooden and dated from about 1068. It was replaced in the 12th century when the curtain walls and Great Tower were built in stone, followed by a Round Tower the following century. The Great Hall was added by Edmund Crouchback (a son of Henry III, and 1st Earl of Lancaster) and it was probably there that Henry V was born in 1387.

The castle’s heyday was in the 15th century however, after the Wars of the Roses it fell into a state of decay along with most other Norman castles. During the Civil War the Castle changed hands three times and was victim of a short siege during which the Great Tower was undermined. Cromwell's soldiers demolished the Round Tower and much of the undermined Great Tower collapsed.

Twenty-five years later, Great Castle House was built on the site of the Round Tower, using some of the castle’s old stones. The house is used as the headquarters of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers and represents a rare example of a Norman castle fulfilling a modern military role.
 

Arrival information and how to find us

Address: Monmouth Castle, South Wales, , United Kingdom

Opening times:

 

Open site all year round.

 

Open sites are unstaffed and open to the public with no admission charge at all reasonable times, usually between 10.00 and 16.00 daily.  

 

 

Photographs courtesy of CADW photographic library.