White Castle
Monmouthshire, Wales (9 castles)
Stone
Not complete but much survives
Only open at certain times
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.
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 King 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. 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.
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Timeline
1201
...
Hubert de Burgh was granted the three castles of White, Skenfrith and Grosmont in the Welsh Marches by King John.
1205
William de Braose, King John's favourite, was granted the three castles of White, Grosmont and Skenfrith.
April
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. [1]
1232
When Hugh de Burgh fell from grace, he lost control of the important Monmouthshire castles of White, Grosmont and Skenfrith.
1254
King Henry III granted his eldest son Prince Edward areas of land including Crown lands in Wales, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Gascony. The prince 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. [2]
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