Crickhowell Castle

Crickhowell Castle is the ruin of a medieval castle in the town of Crickhowell, Powys, in South Wales. What remains is a tall mound topped with the stump of a circular wall, the remnants of two towers, and a separate gatehouse tower. The site is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument. It is sometimes called "Alisby's Castle", a name taken from a former governor of the castle, Gerald Alisby.

What is left to see?

The most striking feature is the motte, a man-made mound roughly 15 metres high. On top stand the remains of a shell keep, a stone ring wall that replaced an earlier timber tower. Nearby are the footings of two towers, one rectangular and one round. A short distance away, a single gatehouse tower survives, which is the easiest part of the old defences to read.

This is not a staffed attraction with a ticket desk and signage at every turn. The ruins are modest and sit among the ordinary streets of the town, so a visit is usually brief. They work well as a stop on a walk around Crickhowell.

How did the castle begin?

It started life as a motte-and-bailey castle: an earthen mound carrying a timber stronghold, with an enclosed yard beside it. Its construction is tied to the twelfth century and the Turberville family, although sources differ on the details. One account points to Bernard de Neufmarche or one of his vassals, such as Robert Turberville. All versions fit the period when Norman lords of the Welsh Marches planted strongpoints in the river valleys to hold conquered land.

Timber was later replaced with stone, around the time the castle passed to the Pauncefote family. Hugh de Turberville, the last of his line to hold it, died in 1293 without a male heir. The castle went to Sir Grimbald Pauncefote, who had married Hugh's daughter Sybil. Sources disagree on exactly when the stone rebuild took place, so the thirteenth century is the safest way to describe it.

The Mortimers and the end

In the fourteenth century the castle belonged to the powerful Mortimers, Marcher lords whose lands were vast. For them Crickhowell was one small holding among many, overshadowed by their larger castles, and it slowly declined in importance. Sir John Pauncefote, a great-grandson of Grimbald, strengthened the defences on royal command. It was not enough to stop the forces of Owain Glyndŵr, who left the castle in ruins around 1403. It was never rebuilt.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Crickhowell Castle? In the town of Crickhowell, Powys, South Wales, at roughly 51.857 N, 3.138 W.

Is the whole castle a ruin? Largely, yes. The motte with its fragment of wall, parts of two towers and a gatehouse tower survive.

Why is it also called Alisby's Castle? The name comes from a former governor of the castle, Gerald Alisby.

Who destroyed the castle? Owain Glyndŵr's forces, during the Welsh uprising in the early fifteenth century.

Is the site protected? Yes. It is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument, so it must not be damaged or altered.