Crickhowell
Encyclopedia
Crickhowell is a small town
in Powys
, Mid Wales
.
hill fort
of Crug Hywel
above the town, the Welsh language
name being anglicised by map-makers and local English-speaking people. The town lies on the River Usk
, on the southern edge of the Black Mountains
and in the eastern part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Significant parts of the surrounding countryside, over 20,000 acres (80 km²) form part of the Glanusk Park
estate. The town has a population of around 2,800 people.
is a secondary school
with approximately 670 pupils. In 2000, it was ranked 77th in Wales
in terms of its GCSE results (based on 5 GCSEs, grades A-C). Since then, the school's exam results have improved dramatically and according to the latest inspection report by Estyn
the pass rate has risen to 72%, which means the school is now ranked in equal 19th place, or in the top 10% in Wales
. It is also the 4th best performing secondary school in Powys
, behind Ysgol Uwchradd Llanidloes, Builth Wells High School and Llanfyllin High School
.
with its odd arches (twelve on one side, thirteen on the other) and its seat built into the walls, the 14th-century parish church
of St Edmund, and the ruins of Crickhowell Castle on the green "tump" beside the A40
Brecon
to Abergavenny
road.
Crickhowell castle was initially a motte and bailey castle
built from 1121, probably by Robert Turberville of the family of Norman
Lords, at this time a tenant of Bernard de Neufmarche
, Hugh Turberville holding the castle from 1273 not as tenant-in-chief but as mesne lord. Hugh Turberville was Seneschal
of Gascony
whose services were called upon by King Edward I
to train Welsh men-at-arms and transform the royal levy into a disciplined medieval army capable of conquering Wales. Hugh led both cavalry and 6,000 infantry recruited in the Welsh Marches
for King Edward's forces. He was later a Deputy Constable and later Constable of Castell y Bere
in Merionethshire
. He fought against Rhys ap Maredudd
during his rising from 1287 to 1291. He died in 1293 the last of the family in the direct line.
The castle was refortified in stone from 1242 when Sybil Turberville a Turberville heiress married Sir Grimbold Pauncefote or Paunceforte. The castle was walled with substantial stone towers and a large bailey
, a home castle befitting an important Royal ally in Wales.
The castle was in the hands of the powerful Mortimer
family dynasty of Marcher Lords
and in the 14th century and declined as a smaller holding within a large portfilio of lands, titles and larger castles.
The castle was refortified on the Royal command of new King King Henry IV
in 1400 and carried out by Sir John Pauncefote, great grandson of Sir Grimbold, in advance of the uprising led by Owain Glyndŵr
to 1412.
The castle was largely destroyed in the early 15th century by Owain Glyndŵr's forces who also attacked and burned Abergavenny
town and other settlements in the area. The ruined stone double tower still stands on the Castle Green.
Crickhowell is administered by Powys County Council
. Planning issues are controlled by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. There are two school
s - primary and secondary
- which act as a central point for a large catchment area. There is some light industry
on the outskirts of Crickhowell at the Elvicta Industrial Estate. The town centre http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/609661 includes a variety of traditional businesses, many of which are family owned. Other facilities in Crickhowell include a library, two play areas, public toilets and the CRiC building, which houses a tourist information centre, an internet cafe, an art gallery and a local history archive. There are a number of pubs, restaurants and hotels.
There are a number of churches in Crickhowell. St Edmund's Church holds a service every Sunday. There is also a baptist
church, an evangelical church http://www.crickhowellchurch.com and a Catholic
church.
Crickhowell’s most famous son was the mapping expert Sir George Everest
(1798–1866) who was born at Gwernvale Manor near Crickhowell (this is now a hotel, known simply as 'The Manor'). He was a Surveyor-General of India
, after whom Mount Everest
was named, there is also a street in Crickhowell named after him (Everest Drive).
Admiral John Gell died here in 1806 after over thirty years at sea in the British fleets.
The Glanusk Park
estate is not far away, the childhood home of the former royal
nanny
Tiggy Legge-Bourke
, who still lives near the town.
destination. In 2005 a Tourist Information centre was built in the centre of town and during summer the town is notably busier. Most people visit Crickhowell to see the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons, and maybe enjoy some mountain-biking, camping
, hillwalking
, rock climbing
, fly-fishing, hang-gliding, caravanning
or simply tour the area by car staying at Bed-and-breakfasts.
Also nearby is Cwrt-y-Gollen
, a British Army
training base.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, Mid Wales
Mid Wales
Mid Wales is the name given to the central region of Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the National Assembly for Wales covered the counties of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC...
.
Location
The name Crickhowell is taken from that of the nearby Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
of Crug Hywel
Crug Hywel
Crug Hywel is a flat-topped hill at the southern edge of the Black Mountains in south-east Wales.It rises to 451 m above sea level, from the southern flank of Pen Cerrig-calch , and overlooks the town of Crickhowell , to which it gives its name.The summit of the hill is entirely taken up by...
above the town, the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
name being anglicised by map-makers and local English-speaking people. The town lies on the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
, on the southern edge of the Black Mountains
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
and in the eastern part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Significant parts of the surrounding countryside, over 20,000 acres (80 km²) form part of the Glanusk Park
Glanusk Park
Glanusk Park is an estate in Britain. It is situated near Crickhowell, Powys, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire. It was established in 1826 by a "retired" ironmaster, Sir Joseph Bailey. The park features in the hereditary title Baron Glanusk which was given to Sir Joseph's grandson,...
estate. The town has a population of around 2,800 people.
Schools
Crickhowell High SchoolCrickhowell High School
Crickhowell High School is an English language secondary school situated in the town of Crickhowell in the county of Powys, Wales.The School was purpose built to meet the needs of the growing community and opened as a new school in 1983...
is a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
with approximately 670 pupils. In 2000, it was ranked 77th in 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 terms of its GCSE results (based on 5 GCSEs, grades A-C). Since then, the school's exam results have improved dramatically and according to the latest inspection report by Estyn
Estyn
Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb meaning "to extend". Its mission is to achieve excellence for all in learning in Wales by providing an independent, high quality inspection and advice service to the Welsh Assembly Government and...
the pass rate has risen to 72%, which means the school is now ranked in equal 19th place, or in the top 10% in 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...
. It is also the 4th best performing secondary school in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, behind Ysgol Uwchradd Llanidloes, Builth Wells High School and Llanfyllin High School
Llanfyllin High School
Ysgol Uwchradd Llanfyllin High School is a billingual secondary school situated in the Mid-Wales town of Llanfyllin. It currently has around 1000 pupils.- History :...
.
Crickhowell Castle
Notable features in Crickhowell include the seventeenth-century stone bridge over the River UskRiver Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
with its odd arches (twelve on one side, thirteen on the other) and its seat built into the walls, the 14th-century parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St Edmund, and the ruins of Crickhowell Castle on the green "tump" beside the A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
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...
to 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...
road.
Crickhowell castle was initially a motte and bailey 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...
built from 1121, probably by Robert Turberville of the family of 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...
Lords, at this time a tenant of Bernard de Neufmarche
Bernard de Neufmarché
Bernard of Neufmarché was "the first of the original conquerors of Wales." He was a minor Norman lord who rose to power in the Welsh Marches before successfully undertaking the invasion and conquest of the Kingdom of Brycheiniog between 1088 and 1095. Out of the ruins of the Welsh kingdom he...
, Hugh Turberville holding the castle from 1273 not as tenant-in-chief but as mesne lord. Hugh Turberville was Seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
whose services were called upon by King 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...
to train Welsh men-at-arms and transform the royal levy into a disciplined medieval army capable of conquering Wales. Hugh led both cavalry and 6,000 infantry recruited in the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
for King Edward's forces. He was later a Deputy Constable and later Constable of Castell y Bere
Castell y Bere
Castell y Bere is a native Welsh castle near Llanfihangel-y-pennant in Gwynedd, Wales. Constructed by Llywelyn the Great in the 1220s, the stone castle was intended to maintain his authority over the local people and to defend the south-west part of the princedom of Gwynedd...
in Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
. He fought against Rhys ap Maredudd
Rhys ap Maredudd
Rhys ap Maredudd was a senior member of the Welsh royal house of Deheubarth, a principality of Medieval Wales. He was the great grandson of The Lord Rhys , prince of south Wales, and the last ruler of a united Deheubarth...
during his rising from 1287 to 1291. He died in 1293 the last of the family in the direct line.
The castle was refortified in stone from 1242 when Sybil Turberville a Turberville heiress married Sir Grimbold Pauncefote or Paunceforte. The castle was walled with substantial stone towers and a large 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...
, a home castle befitting an important Royal ally in Wales.
The castle was in the hands of the powerful Mortimer
Mortimer
Mortimer is a popular English name, used both as a surname and a given name.- Norman origins :The origin of the name is almost certainly Norman, but the details are disputed....
family dynasty of Marcher Lords
Marcher Lords
A Marcher Lord was a strong and trusted noble appointed by the King of England to guard the border between England and Wales.A Marcher Lord is the English equivalent of a margrave...
and in the 14th century and declined as a smaller holding within a large portfilio of lands, titles and larger castles.
The castle was refortified on the Royal command of new King King Henry IV
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...
in 1400 and carried out by Sir John Pauncefote, great grandson of Sir Grimbold, in advance of the uprising led by 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...
to 1412.
The castle was largely destroyed in the early 15th century by Owain Glyndŵr's forces who also attacked and burned 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...
town and other settlements in the area. The ruined stone double tower still stands on the Castle Green.
The town
Powys County Council
Powys County Council is the governing body for Powys, one of the administrative areas of Wales. It has three area committees — one for each of Brecknockshire, Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire to which the council delegates its functions. The council offices are located in Llandrindod...
. Planning issues are controlled by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. There are two school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s - primary and secondary
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
- which act as a central point for a large catchment area. There is some light industry
Light industry
Light industry is usually less capital intensive than heavy industry, and is more consumer-oriented than business-oriented...
on the outskirts of Crickhowell at the Elvicta Industrial Estate. The town centre http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/609661 includes a variety of traditional businesses, many of which are family owned. Other facilities in Crickhowell include a library, two play areas, public toilets and the CRiC building, which houses a tourist information centre, an internet cafe, an art gallery and a local history archive. There are a number of pubs, restaurants and hotels.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church, an evangelical church http://www.crickhowellchurch.com and a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church.
Crickhowell’s most famous son was the mapping expert Sir George Everest
George Everest
Colonel Sir George Everest was a Welsh surveyor, geographer and Surveyor-General of India from 1830 to 1843.Sir George was largely responsible for completing the section of the Great Trigonometric Survey of India along the meridian arc from the south of India extending north to Nepal, a distance...
(1798–1866) who was born at Gwernvale Manor near Crickhowell (this is now a hotel, known simply as 'The Manor'). He was a Surveyor-General of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, after whom Mount Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
was named, there is also a street in Crickhowell named after him (Everest Drive).
Admiral John Gell died here in 1806 after over thirty years at sea in the British fleets.
The Glanusk Park
Glanusk Park
Glanusk Park is an estate in Britain. It is situated near Crickhowell, Powys, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire. It was established in 1826 by a "retired" ironmaster, Sir Joseph Bailey. The park features in the hereditary title Baron Glanusk which was given to Sir Joseph's grandson,...
estate is not far away, the childhood home of the former royal
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
nanny
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
Tiggy Legge-Bourke
Tiggy Legge-Bourke
Alexandra Shân "Tiggy" Legge-Bourke MVO was nanny, later companion, to Prince William of Wales and his brother Prince Harry, and a personal assistant to Charles, Prince of Wales, between 1993 and 1999...
, who still lives near the town.
Tourism
Today, Crickhowell is a popular touristTourism in Wales
Wales is an emerging tourist destination, with 8,078,900 visitors to National Trust and Welsh Tourist Board destinations in 2002. The industry has been estimated to have an annual turnover of £3.5 billion....
destination. In 2005 a Tourist Information centre was built in the centre of town and during summer the town is notably busier. Most people visit Crickhowell to see the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons, and maybe enjoy some mountain-biking, camping
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
, hillwalking
Hillwalking
In the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...
, rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, fly-fishing, hang-gliding, caravanning
Caravan Club
The Caravan Club is an organisation representing caravanners in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and now represents nearly 1 million members.-History:...
or simply tour the area by car staying at Bed-and-breakfasts.
Surrounding villages
- CwmduCwmdu, PowysCwmdu is a small village situated in the heart of the Black Mountains in Powys, Wales. Its name is derived from the Welsh language "Cwm Ddu", which means 'Black Valley'. It is located on the A479 Talgarth to Tretower road.- Amenities :...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/318292 - Glangrwyney http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/268044 & http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/268041
- LlanbedrLlanbedr, CrickhowellLlanbedr is a hamlet northeast of Crickhowell in the county of Powys in south Wales. It lies above the river known as the Grwyne Fechan just above its confluence with the Grwyne Fawr in the southern reaches of the Black Mountains range. The hamlet lies within the shadow of Table Mountain, an...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/333831 & http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/333839 - LlangattockLlangattock (Crickhowell)Llangattock is a village in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the south of Powys in south Wales. It lies in the Usk Valley just across the river from the town of Crickhowell...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/609680 & http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/507032 - LlangennyLlangennyLlangenny is a small hamlet in the Brecon Beacons National Park in southern Powys, Wales.Llangenny has approximately 100 inhabitants and is a village in the Vale of Grwyney, the lower reaches of the Grwyne Fawr, which comprises Llangenny, Glangrwyney and Llanbedr.The two main features of Llangenny...
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/129260 - LlangynidrLlangynidrLlangynidr is a village in Powys, Wales, about west of Crickhowell and south-east of Brecon. The River Usk flows through the village as does the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal on which there are four locks....
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/389477 & http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/358184 - Tretower http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/574234 which is home to a 12th Century castleTretower Castlethumb|320px|right|Tretower CastleTretower castle is a castle in the village of Tretower in the county of Powys, Wales.-History:Tretower was founded as a motte and bailey castle. In the 12th century, a shell-keep was added to the motte. By c.1230 a tall cylindrical keep was added to the inside of...
and a medieval Manor HouseTretower CourtTretower Court is a medieval fortified manor house situated in the village of Tretower, near Crickhowell in modern day Powys, previously within the historical county of Breconshire or Brecknockshire.- Local & national importance :...
, which is still in very good condition.
Also nearby is Cwrt-y-Gollen
Cwrt y Gollen
Cwrt y Gollen is a British Army training base and a small settlement one mile east of Crickhowell at just north of the A40 road and the River Usk....
, a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
training base.