Montgomery Castle
Encyclopedia
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
.
and was built at the order of Roger de Montgomery, earl of Shrewsbury
some time between 1071 and 1074. On the rebellion of his son Robert of Belleme in 1102, the castle was given to Baldwin de Boulers
. It is from Baldwin that Montgomery gets its Welsh name, Trefaldwyn (Baldwins town). The de Boulers (Bowdler
) family held the castle until 1215 when the fortress was destroyed by Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. The motte and bailey was subsequently refortified as an outpost for the new stone castle and probably survived until around 1300.
The rebuilding of Montgomery Castle in stone was commenced in the late summer of 1223 on the 16th birthday of Henry III of England
, a mile to the south-east of the original site. The architect of the new castle was Hubert de Burgh who also rebuilt Skenfrith Castle
, Grosmont Castle
and White Castle
in the Welsh Marches
. From 1223 until 1228 masons worked solidly building the entire inner ward, or donjon as it was then known on a great rock above the later town of Montgomery. This work consisted of the gatehouse
, two D-shaped towers and the apartments which crowded around the curtain wall
of the inner ward. After an unsuccessful attack by Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in 1228 the middle and outer wards were added to the castle. The castle was again attacked in 1233 which resulted in damage to the Well Tower which had to be subsequently repaired and re-roofed.
In 1267 Montgomery was the meeting place for treaty
negotiations, where King Henry III granted Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
the title of prince of Wales
. Fifteen years later in December 1282 the army of Montgomery marched from here to Builth Wells
to surprise and kill Llywelyn. After 1295 and the final Welsh War of the thirteenth century the castle became more of a military backwater and prison than a front line fortress.
Montgomery was granted a Royal Charter
by the King in 1227, making it the oldest borough
in Wales.
of Montgomery was attacked by the Welsh forces of Owain Glyndŵr
in 1402 and sacked and burned. However the stone castle fortress held out against the attack. Though the garrison was not large the design and the men inside did their job. The town walls were not rebuilt and the town remained a ruin for two whole centuries. The town walls have now all but disappeared over the intervening centuries but the town ditch remains.
. It was later demolished
by order of the Parliament.
Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury
, the last Herbert to have lived at Montgomery Castle, was buried at Montgomery in 1655.
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...
looking over the town of Montgomery
Montgomery, Powys
The historic county town of Montgomery in Powys, Wales lies just three miles from the English border in the Welsh Marches. It is best known for its castle, Montgomery Castle, begun in 1223, and its parish church, begun in 1227. However its origins go back much further, as seen by the Celtic Iron...
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...
. It is one of many Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
castles on the border between 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...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Motte & Bailey Castle
The original motte and bailey is now known as Hen DomenHen Domen
Hen Domen, Welsh, meaning "old mound", is the site of a medieval timber motte-and-bailey castle in Powys, Wales. It is the site of the original Montgomery Castle and was built by Roger de Montgomery in 1070....
and was built at the order of Roger de Montgomery, earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
some time between 1071 and 1074. On the rebellion of his son Robert of Belleme in 1102, the castle was given to Baldwin de Boulers
Baldwin de Boulers
Baldwin de Boulers came to England in 1105 when he was granted the Lordship of Montgomery, Powys in marriage with Sybil de Falaise. Sybil was referred to as the 'niece' of Henry I of England but is commonly believed to be one of his illegitimate children....
. It is from Baldwin that Montgomery gets its Welsh name, Trefaldwyn (Baldwins town). The de Boulers (Bowdler
Bowdler
Bowdler, a prominent Shropshire family descended from Baldwin de Boulers.-People with the given name Bowdler::* George Bowdler Buckton , English entomologist* Richard Bowdler Sharpe , English zoologist-Writers::...
) family held the castle until 1215 when the fortress was destroyed by Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth. The motte and bailey was subsequently refortified as an outpost for the new stone castle and probably survived until around 1300.
Stone Castle
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, a mile to the south-east of the original site. The architect of the new castle was Hubert de Burgh who also rebuilt Skenfrith Castle
Skenfrith 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...
, 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:...
and White Castle
White Castle (Wales)
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 , after Llantilio Crossenny, the mediæval manor of...
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...
. From 1223 until 1228 masons worked solidly building the entire inner ward, or donjon as it was then known on a great rock above the later town of Montgomery. This work consisted of the 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:...
, two D-shaped towers and the apartments which crowded around the curtain wall
Shell keep
A shell keep is a style of medieval fortification, best described as a stone structure circling the top of a motte.In English castle morphology, shell keeps are perceived as the successors to motte-and-bailey castles, with the wooden fence around the top of the motte replaced by a stone wall...
of the inner ward. After an unsuccessful attack by Prince Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in 1228 the middle and outer wards were added to the castle. The castle was again attacked in 1233 which resulted in damage to the Well Tower which had to be subsequently repaired and re-roofed.
In 1267 Montgomery was the meeting place for treaty
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...
negotiations, where King Henry III granted Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
Llywelyn ap Gruffydd may refer to:*Llywelyn the Last *Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan...
the title of prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. Fifteen years later in December 1282 the army of Montgomery marched from here to Builth Wells
Builth Wells
Builth Wells is a town in the county of Powys, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire, mid Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Wye and the River Irfon, in the Welsh of the Wye Valley. It has a population of 2,352....
to surprise and kill Llywelyn. After 1295 and the final Welsh War of the thirteenth century the castle became more of a military backwater and prison than a front line fortress.
Montgomery was granted a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
by the King in 1227, making it the oldest borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in Wales.
Owain Glyndŵr
The walled townDefensive wall
A defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
of Montgomery was attacked by the Welsh forces 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 1402 and sacked and burned. However the stone castle fortress held out against the attack. Though the garrison was not large the design and the men inside did their job. The town walls were not rebuilt and the town remained a ruin for two whole centuries. The town walls have now all but disappeared over the intervening centuries but the town ditch remains.
English Civil War
In 1643 Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Chirbury, surrendered the castle to Parliamentary troops in the Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It was later demolished
Slighting
A slighting is the deliberate destruction, partial or complete, of a fortification without opposition. During the English Civil War this was to render it unusable as a fort.-Middle Ages:...
by order of the Parliament.
Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury
Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury
Richard Herbert, 2nd Baron Herbert of Chirbury was an Anglo-Welsh Member of Parliament, a Royalist who fought with the rank of Colonel in the English Civil War, and a peer whose membership of the House of Lords was curtailed by its abolition in 1649.-Life:Herbert, born about 1604, was the elder...
, the last Herbert to have lived at Montgomery Castle, was buried at Montgomery in 1655.
External links
- "Montgomery" at Genealogy and History of the Bowdler Family
- Remfry, P.M., Montgomery Castle, a royal fortress of King Henry III (ISBN 1-899376-49-6)
- Anglo-Norman-Castles
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Montgomery Castle and surrounding area