Abergavenny Castle

Abergavenny Castle is situated within the town of Abergavenny. It is a picturesque ruin set against a backdrop of the mountains which surround this area.
The castle dates from around 1087 which at that time was a wooden construction upon a steep hillock surrounded by a ditch.
As the seat of the medieval lords of Abergavenny, the castle was the focus for over three centuries of border warfare.
In 1175 it was the scene of the infamous massacre of the Welsh chieftains by the Norman lord, William de Braose.
From about 1190 the Normans began rebuilding the castle in stone.The castle and its grounds have been open to the public since 1881.Within the ruins is a restored 19th hunting lodge which is now the local museum containing
local artefacts, a Victorian Welsh farmhouse kitchen, and a saddlers workshop.The small town of Abergavenny has a good selection of shops and places to eat and drink, the Angel Hotel is to be recommended

Abergavenny

The gatehouse pictured above is a typical Barbican gatehouse which was a wall or tower which protected the castle gate from attack. When the castle was built in the late 13th century, the gate was probably a simple opening in the curtain wall, as the outline of this can still be seen on the inside of the wall.
The gate house was probably added in the 15th century at the time of the Welsh war of independance which was being fought under Owain Glyndwr.
In 1403 there was an uprising against William Beauchamp who at this time was Lord of Abergavenny.
It is recorded that Henry 1V ordered him to improve the castle's defences so the gatehouse was probably added at this time.

As the gatehouse would have looked

The local museum within the castle grounds

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Near Abergavenny

Tretower

White Castle

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