TimeRef.com
  • Episodes
    Episode Index
    Key Dates Timelines
    By Category
    This day in history
  • People
    A..Z List of Medieval People
    Kings and Queens of England Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emporers of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers
    Family Trees
  • Life
    Life in Medieval Times
    Life in a Castle The Feudal System Country Life and Agriculture Life in a Medieval Town Life in a Religious Community
  • Castles
    Castle Index Page Castle Development
    Early Fortifications Motte and bailey Castles Square Keeps Castle of William the Conqueror Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle
    Locations of over 300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings 3D Virtual Reconstructions Maps Photographs
    Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
  • 3D/VR
    3D Virtual Reconstructions VR Experiences
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Etal Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle
    Knights Training
  • More
    Test your Knowledge
    Glossary of Terms
    Games Early Access
    Copyright / About TimeRef.com Contact the Author
TimeRef.com
  • Episodes
    Episode Index
    Key Dates Timelines
    By Category
    This day in history
  • People
    A..Z List of Medieval People
    Kings and Queens of England Kings of Scotland Kings of France Kings of Denmark Emporers of Byzantine Popes and Antipopes Crusader States and their Rulers
    Family Trees
  • Life
    Life in Medieval Times
    Life in a Castle The Feudal System Country Life and Agriculture Life in a Medieval Town Life in a Religious Community
  • Castles
    Castle Index Page Castle Development
    Early Fortifications Motte and bailey Castles Square Keeps Castle of William the Conqueror Concentric Castles Castles of Edward I
    Castle Siege Tactics Parts of a Castle
    Locations of over 300 Castles UK Castles by County
  • Places
    A..Z list of Medieval Buildings 3D Virtual Reconstructions Maps Photographs
    Abbeys and Monasteries Cathedrals Medieval Architecture
  • 3D/VR
    3D Virtual Reconstructions VR Experiences
    Virtual Motte and Bailey Castle Virtual Norman Keep Virtual Siege Engines
    Etal Castle Skenfrith Castle Middleham Castle
    Knights Training
  • More
    Test your Knowledge
    Glossary of Terms
    GamesEarly Access
    Copyright / About TimeRef.com Contact the Author
  1. Home
  2. Medieval Places
  3. White Castle
Location
Location
Please note that the TimeRef website is currently being redesigned.

White Castle

 County

Monmouthshire (9 castles) 

 Categories

Stone

 Remains

Not complete but much survives

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Comments

The moat at White Castle surrounds the inner bailey (or ward). The moat has water and has steep sides lined with stone. White castle consist of three separate baileys (or wards). The pear-shaped inner bailey is the most defendable of three. It has a high stone curtain wall and six circular wall towers, two of which form the strong gatehouse. Not the easiest of castles to find, but worth the effort to see the substantial remains of the inner bailey.

 Location51.84634,-2.901433 (Google Maps) DirectionsDirections via Google Maps
 County

Monmouthshire (9 castles) 

 Categories

Stone

 Remains

Not complete but much survives

 Access

Only open at certain times

 Comments

The moat at White Castle surrounds the inner bailey (or ward). The moat has water and has steep sides lined with stone. White castle consist of three separate baileys (or wards). The pear-shaped inner bailey is the most defendable of three. It has a high stone curtain wall and six circular wall towers, two of which form the strong gatehouse. Not the easiest of castles to find, but worth the effort to see the substantial remains of the inner bailey.

 Location
51.84634,-2.901433
 Directions
Directions via Google Maps
hite Castle is a Norman castle located several miles east of Abergavenny and a mile or so from the village of Llantilio Crossenny in south Wales. Originally the castle was known as Llantilio Castle. The name White Castle came later and is derived from the white rendering that covered its walls. The castle forms one of the three points in the strategic triangle of castles known as the 'Three Castles'; the other two being Grosmont and Skenfrith.

Construction of the castle is thought to have started in the mid twelfth century after the site was granted by King Stephen. It is mentioned in the royal accounts of Henry II when payments for repairs were made. The first castle on the site would have been a motte and bailey type fortification primarily made of wood consisting of an inner ward with a square tower surrounded by a moat and a small cresent-shaped bailey. The keep was demolished in the middle of the 13th Century and several large towers were added to the curtain wall of the inner bailey. The entrance to the inner bailey was then protected by two large round towers. A larger bailey was then created on the opposite side of the inner bailey from the original smaller bailey. This larger bailey was walled and had several towers protecting its perimeter.

In 1201, during the reign of King John, Hubert de Burgh was granted many castles in the area including Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castles. But his ownership of the castles did not last long as the castles were granted to King John's favourite William de Braose in 1205. In 1210 de Braose fell out of favour with the King and fled to France where he died in the following year. In 1219 By 1219 Hubert de Burgh was Justicier and Earl of Kent and regained ownership of all three castles. But again, like de Braose, Hubert fell from favour and in 1232 the castles were granted to Peter de Rivaux. White Castle eventually became the property of the Crown and was owned by Prince Edward, the future King Edward I, and then to his brother Edmund, Crouchback, the Earl of Lancaster. With the defeat of Llewelyn in 1282 the military importance of White Castle came to an end.

Location

See Also

People

  • Burgh, Hubert de (Earl of Kent)
  • Braose, William de
  • Rievaulx, Peter des
  • A .. Z List of Medieval People

Places

  • Grosmont Castle
  • Skenfrith Castle
  • Hadleigh Castle
  • Montgomery Castle
  • A .. Z List of Medieval Buildings

Related Information

  • Why build and live in castles
  • Castle development timeline
  • Keep and bailey castles
  • Castles of William the Conqueror
  • Motte and bailey castles
  • Shell-Keeps
  • Square keeps
  • Polygonal Keeps
  • Castles of Edward I
  • Parts of a castle
  • Location of lots of castles
  • Castle construction timeline

Related Maps

  • Map of Castles

Location Map (click to explore)

Timeline

1201
...
Hubert de Burgh granted castles

Hubert de Burgh was granted the three castles of White, Skenfrith and Grosmont in the Welsh Marches by King John.

1205
...
William de Braose granted lands

William de Braose, King John's favourite, was granted the three castles of White, Grosmont and Skenfrith.

Apr
Hubert de Burgh loses his lands

While Hubert de Burgh was defending the castle at Chinon and then later in captivity, King John back in England gave orders for his land to be taken back. By the end of the year the order was given to transfer ownership of the tree castles Skenfrih, Grosmont and Llantilio (White Castle) to William de Braose.

1232
...
Hugh de Burgh loses the Three Castles

When Hugh de Burgh fell from grace, he lost control of the important Monmouthshire castles of White, Grosmont and Skenfrith.

1254
...
Henry gives Edward his own lands

King Henry III granted his eldest son Edward areas of land including Crown lands in Wales, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Gascony. He was also given cities such as Bristol, Stamford and Grantham.These areas were on the edge of Henry's lands and the idea was to give Edward experience of governing lands of his own before becoming king. Edward was granted the three castles in the Marches, Skenfrith, White and Grosmont.

View this page on a desktop computer to explore a virtual UK landscape.

3D Virtual Reconstructions

Transport yourself back up to a thousand years and explore historical buildings as they may have appeared in the past. Built using the popular game development tool Unity 3D, these reconstructions will run in the most of the popular web browsers on your desktop or laptop computer.

Medieval people

Uncover the lives of the hundreds of kings, queens, lords, ladies, barons, earls, archbishops and rebels who made the medieval people an exciting period of history to live through.

Selection of references used:

  • 1. Clarence Ellis, Hubert de Burgh, 1952
  • 2. John Chancellor, The Life and Times of Edward I, 1981

    Location

    See Also

    People

    • Burgh, Hubert de (Earl of Kent)
    • Braose, William de
    • Rievaulx, Peter des
    • A .. Z List of Medieval People

    Places

    • Grosmont Castle
    • Skenfrith Castle
    • Hadleigh Castle
    • Montgomery Castle
    • A .. Z List of Medieval Buildings

    Related Information

    • Why build and live in castles
    • Castle development timeline
    • Keep and bailey castles
    • Castles of William the Conqueror
    • Motte and bailey castles
    • Shell-Keeps
    • Square keeps
    • Polygonal Keeps
    • Castles of Edward I
    • Parts of a castle
    • Location of lots of castles
    • Castle construction timeline

    Related Maps

    • Map of Castles

    Explore the White Tower

    Explore all four floors of the White Tower at the Tower of London using the Unity 3d game engine.

    ^ Back to top

            x-small

            small

            medium

            large

            x-large

            x-x-large

            This popup will contain more information
            This popup will contain more information
            xyz
            xyz