White Castle (Welsh: Castell Gwyn) 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 medieval manor which it was a part of. Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... The main gatehouse of Harlech Castle, Wales. ... Monmouthshire (Welsh: Sir Fynwy) is both a principal area and a traditional county in south-east Wales. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location relative to the some of the British Isles (other parts of the UK shown on the map are in pink). ... Whitewash is a type of inexpensive paint made from slaked lime (Calcium hydroxide, or Ca(OH)2) and chalk (whiting). ... The Pipe Rolls are a series of financial records from England, beginning in 1130 and lasting, mostly complete, until 1833. ... Events John the Chanter becomes Bishop of Exeter. ... Generic plan of a mediaeval manor; open-field strip farming, some enclosures, triennial crop rotation, demesne and manse, common woodland, pasturage and meadow Manorialism or Seigneurialism describes the organization of rural economy and society in medieval western and parts of central Europe, characterised by the vesting of legal and economic...

Known as one of the “Three Castles”, there has been a defensive structure at the site since the late eleventh century. (10th century - 11th century - 12th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century was that century which lasted from 1001 to 1100. ...

History of “The Three Castles”

The term “The Three Castles” is used to collectively describe White Castle, Skenfrith Castle and Grosmont Castle, all of which are located in the Monnow Valley in south Wales (modern day Monmouthshire). The 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. Skenfrith Castle (Welsh: Ynysgynwraidd) is a medieval castle located in Monmouthshire, Wales. ... The River Monnow (Welsh: Afon Mynwÿ) flows through south-west Herefordshire, England and east Monmouthshire, Wales. ... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location relative to the some of the British Isles (other parts of the UK shown on the map are in pink). ... Hereford Cathedral Hereford (pronounced hÄ›r-É™-füd or hÄ›r-i-füd) Welsh: Henffordd (pronounced Henforth) is a city in the west of England, close to the border with Wales and on the River Wye. ... The Wye at Hay-on-Wye The Wye at Tintern This article is about the river that flows along the Anglo-Welsh border, for the river in Derbyshire see River Wye, Derbyshire. ... This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. ...

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. The Normans (adapted from the name Northmen or Norsemen) were a mixture of the indigenous Gauls of France and the Viking invaders under the leadership of Rollo (Gange Rolf). ... In civil engineering, earthworks are engineering works created through the moving of massive quantities of soil or unformed stone. ... William fitzOsbern (died February 22, 1071) was a relative and close counselor of William the Conqueror who became one of the great magnates of early Norman England. ... William I ( 1027 – September 9, 1087), was King of England from 1066 to 1087. ... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... Events January 6 - Harold II is crowned King of England the day after Edward the Confessor dies. ... This is about the Welsh town of Monmouth. ... Chepstow Castle from the old Wye Bridge Interior of Chepstow Castle Chepstow Castle, located in Chepstow on top of cliffs overlooking the River Wye, was built by the Norman lord William FitzOsbern from 1067. ... A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle. ...

Fitz Osbern died in 1071, and his lands were forfeited to the crown after his son 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 in the 1130’s as a response to Welsh rebellion in the southern March, and would remain a single lordship until the nineteenth century. Events Byzantine Empire loses Battle of Manzikert to Turkish army under Alp Arslan. ... Events Revolt of the Earls. ... Stephen (1096 – October 25, 1154), the last Norman King of England, reigned from 1135 to 1154, when he was succeeded by his cousin Henry II, the first of the Angevin or Plantagenet Kings. ... In European history, marches are border regions between centres of power. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. The castles were then 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 quickly fell out of favor, and by 1207 John had forced him into ruin. Hubert de Burgh returned to power, and was appointed Justiciar in 1215, but did not recover ownership of the Three Castles from the de Braose heirs until 1219, when the twelve year old Henry III was king. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Hubert de Burgh (~1165 - May 12, 1243) 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. De Burgh came from a minor gentry family about which little is known. ... John (French: Jean) (December 24, c. ... // Events The town of Riga was chartered as a city. ... William de Braose, Fourth Lord of Bramber (1140/1150 - August 9, 1211) at his peak was also lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Skenfrith, Grosmont, and White Castle. ... Events January 6 - Philip of Swabia becomes King of the Romans April 14 - Battle of Adrianople (1205) between Bulgars and Latins August 20 - Following certain news of Baldwin Is death, Henry of Flanders is crowned Emperor of the Latin Empire Births Deaths July 13 Hubert Walter Archbishop of Canterbury... Philip II (French: Philippe II), called Philip Augustus (French: Philippe Auguste) (August 21, 1165 – July 14, 1223), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. ... Events Stephen Langton consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury June 17 by Pope Innocent III Births September 8 - King Sancho II of Portugal October 1 - King Henry III of England (d. ... In the medieval England and Scotland, a justiciar was an important legal and political figure. ... // Events A certified copy of the Magna Carta June 15 - King John of England forced to put his seal to the Magna Carta, outlining the rights of landowning men (nobles and knights) and restricting the kings power. ... // Events Saint Francis of Assisi introduces Catholicism into Egypt, during the Fifth Crusade The Flag of Denmark fell from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse Ongoing events Fifth Crusade (1217-1221) Births Christopher I of Denmark (died 1259) Frederick II of Austria (died 1246) Guillaume de Gisors, supposedly the... Henry III (October 1, 1207 – November 16, 1272) is one of the least-known British monarchs, considering the great length of his reign. ...

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 King Henry III. He rebuilt Skenfrith and Grosmont 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 favor in 1232 (they were returned after his reconciliation to the king two years later). // Events Births June 17 - King Edward I of England (died 1307) December 17 - Kujo Yoritsugu, Japanese shogun (died 1256) Peter III of Aragon (died 1285) John II, Duke of Brittany (died 1305) Ippen, Japanese monk (died 1289) Deaths March 3 - Vladimir III Rurikovich, Grand Prince of Kiev (born 1187) March... // Events Canonization of Saint Anthony of Padua, patron of lost items Pope Gregory IX driven from Rome by a revolt, taking refuge at Anagni First edition of Tripitaka Koreana destroyed by Mongol invaders Battle of Agridi 15 June 1232 Births Arnolfo di Cambio, Florentine architect (died 1310) Manfred of Sicily...

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 1260’s 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. It was around this time that White Castle was refortified in the latest defensive style. For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... King Edward I of England (June 17, 1239 – July 7, 1307), popularly known as Longshanks because of his 6 foot 2 inch frame and the Hammer of the Scots (his tombstone, in Latin, read, Hic est Edwardvs Primus Scottorum Malleus, Here lies Edward I, Hammer of the Scots), achieved fame... Arms used by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd or Gruffydd (c. ... By means of the Treaty of Montgomery (1267), Llywelyn ap Gruffydd was able to get his new title Prince of Wales acknowledged by the English king Henry III. Llywelyn ap Gruffydd finished the work his grandfather, Llywelyn the Great, had started: by force and diplomacy all the other Welsh dynasties... For broader historical context, see 1260s and 13th century. ...

1267 also 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 Henry IV, at which time the Three Castles also became royal possessions once more. Edmund Crouchback (January 16, 1245 - June 5, 1296) was the second surviving son of Eleanor of Provence and King Henry III of England. ... For broader historical context, see 1280s and 13th century. ... Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster (c. ... Blanche of Lancaster (March 25, 1345 - September 12, 1369) was an English noblewoman, daughter of Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster by his wife Isabel de Beaumont. ... John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (June 24, 1340 – February 3, 1399), the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, gained his name, John of Gaunt, because he was born at Ghent in 1340. ... Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377) was one of the most successful English kings of medieval times. ... Centuries: 13th century - 14th century - 15th century Decades: 1310s 1320s 1330s 1340s 1350s - 1360s - 1370s 1380s 1390s 1400s 1410s Years: 1359 1360 1361 1362 1363 - 1364 - 1365 1366 1367 1368 1369 See also: 1364 state leaders Events Foundation of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków The Breton War of Succession... 1825 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Henry IV (April 3, 1367 – March 20, 1413) was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence the other name by which he was known, Henry of Bolingbroke. His father, John of Gaunt was the third and oldest surviving son of King Edward III of England, and enjoyed a position of... Richard II (January 6, 1367 – February 14, 1400) was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan The Fair Maid of Kent. He was born at Bordeaux and became his fathers heir when his elder brother died in infancy. ... Events September 30 - Accession of Henry IV of England October 13 - Coronation of Henry IV of England November 1 - Accession of John VI, Duke of Brittany Births William Canynge, English merchant (approximate date; died 1474) Zara Yaqob, Emperor of Ethiopia (died 1468) Deaths January 4 - Nicolas Eymeric, Spanish theologian and...

Although the Three Castles briefly saw action during the rebellion of Owain Glyn Dwr in 1404-05, they never again played a major role in military affairs. Henry IV 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. Seal of Owain Glyndŵr The Banner of the Arms of Owain Glyndŵr showing his parentage Owain Glyndŵr, sometimes anglicised as Owen Glendower (1359–c. ... Events June 14 - Owain Glyndwr of Wales allies with the French against the English and the Henry of Lancaster. ... Events May 29 - Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland, meets Archbishop Richard Scrope of York and Earl of Norfolk Thomas Mowbray in Shipton Moor, tricks them to send their rebellious army home and then imprisons them June 8 - Archbishop Richard Scrope of York and Thomas Mowbray, Earl of Norfolk, executed in... Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21/22, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Events Treaty of Nagyvarad. ... The title Duke of Beaufort in the Peerage of England 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... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The standard of the National Trust The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as The National Trust, NT or The Trust, is an organisation which works to preserve and protect coastline, countryside and buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. ... Cadw is a semi-autonomous publicly-funded body which with the mission to protect, conserve, and to promote the built heritage of Wales — the Welsh equivalent of English Heritage and Historic Scotland. ...

Building of White Castle

The earliest castle at this site consisted of two earthworks – the pear shaped inner ward with a surrounding water-filled moat, and an 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 moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, England Moats were deep and wide water-filled trenches, excavated to provide a barrier against attack upon castle ramparts or other fortifications. ...

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.

Unlike its fellow Monnow Valley strongholds, White Castle was not significantly altered by Hubert de Burgh when he possessed the Three Castles from 1201-1239. The twelfth century stone keep and wall were rebuilt later by Gilbert Talbot, under the threat of attack from Llewelyn ap Gruffudd in the mid-thirteenth century. 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, which was also strengthened with four round towers, projecting out over the moat, which was now revetted with stone. Wooden drawbridges 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. A great hall was the main room of a royal palace, a noblemans castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... A kitchen is a room used for food preparation. ... The entrance of a brewery. ...

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. A postern is a secondary door or gate, particularly in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall. ... Geophysics, the study of the earth by quantitative physical methods, especially by seismic reflection and refraction, gravity, magnetic, electrical, electromagnetic, and radioactivity methods. ...

Visiting the Castle

The castle today stands in 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 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 roof 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. A mile is a unit of distance (or, in physics terminology, length) currently defined as 5,280 feet, 1,760 yards, or 63,360 inches. ...

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
• Knight, Jeremy K. The Three Castles (Cadw, 2000)
• 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)

External Links

• Castles of Wales
• Cadw – White Castle