Skenfrith Castle-near me

Question

http://www.castlewales.com/sknfrth.html

From Wiki

Skenfrith Castle (Welsh: Castell Ynysgynwraidd) is a ruined castle in the village of Skenfrith in Monmouthshire, Wales. The fortification was established by the Normans in the wake of the invasion of England in 1066, to protect the route from Wales to Hereford. Possibly commissioned by William fitz Osbern, the Earl of Hereford, the castle comprised earthworks with timber defences. In 1135, a major Welsh revolt took place and in response King Stephen brought together Skenfrith Castle and its sister fortifications of Grosmont and White Castle to form a lordship known as the "Three Castles", which continued to play a role in defending the region from Welsh attack for several centuries.

At the end of the 12th century, Skenfrith was rebuilt in stone. In 1201, King John gave the castle to a powerful royal official, Hubert de Burgh. During the course of the next few decades, it passed back and forth between several owners, including Hubert, the rival de Braose family, and the Crown. Hubert levelled the old castle and built a new rectangular fortification with round towers and a circular keep. In 1267 it was granted to Edmund, the Earl of Lancaster, and remained in the hands of the earldom, and later duchy, of Lancaster until 1825.

Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1282 removed much of Skenfrith Castle's military utility, and by the 16th century it had fallen into disuse and ruin. The castle was placed into the care of the state by the National Trust in 1936, and is now managed by the Cadw heritage agency.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skenfrith_Castle

Answer 1

That's the sort of modest castle I would have favored if I were a noblewoman back in the day... not too much upkeep, but just enough to keep the maids and the servants busy.

Answer 2

It's indeed beautiful, SirFurryAnimal. Built to defend against all those rowdy Welsh, and now a lovely play area for the children of Skenfrith...I like especially the round tower. In Iowa, I lived in a round building, so constructed because that was the way to preserve the most possible trees on the site! Anyway, living in a round building is a very different feeling -- and I liked it!

Answer 3

...