There are few, if any, guides with the breadth and depth of
knowledge that Paul Remfry possesses about the history of Wales in the
middle ages. Paul customized an itinerary based around my interests,
and demonstrated an unflagging enthusiasm both for the landscape and
its stories. It was one of the best days of my visit to Great Britain.
Aileen Ugalde
Miami, Florida
U3A Welsh Group, Visit to Three Marches Castles
This excited group set out in anticipation on a fine April morning to
visit the remains of three Welsh border castles known as the Castles of
the Trilateral, namely that of Skenfrith, Grosmont and White Castle.
All proved to be remarkably well preserved considering when they were
built. Fortunately for us, a gentleman called Paul Remfry was joining
us and it soon became apparent that he was a history expert
specialising in the study of castle remains and having published
numerous books on the subject.
Our first visit was Skenfrith Castle. Here we learnt that these
castles, when first built, were generally small and built of stout
timber. However in approx. 1160 and on the orders of King Henry II,
Skenfrith was rebuilt in stone by engineer Ralph Grosmont and much
later completed by Hubert Burgh. Shortly before completion the castle
was badly flooded and sustained much damage. Rather than repair it,
Hubert filled the interior with river gravel and built a new castle on
top of the first one. Paul showed us the perfectly preserved hall of
the first castle which was uncovered during excavations in 1950.
Remarkably, the jambs of the doors and windows were in as good a
condition as when they were first cut nearly 800 years ago. Even the
original iron door hinges and window bars had survived from that time.
This fortress was once surrounded by a 20ft.deep paved moat and
survives today in as much the same state as it was left in 1538.
We then travelled on to Grosmont Castle which dates from approx. 1070.
Although called a castle, it is thought that it was originally
constructed as a hall and used as an administrative centre for a Barony
at a time when the rule of the Normans in Wales was considered stable.
However, following the Welsh Rebellion of 1134, Grosmont was turned
into a fortress, again by Hubert Burgh, who was granted its ownership
by Henry III in 1201
until Hubert fell out of favour in 1239. Henry then passed Grosmont to
his 2nd son Prince Edmund, who proceeded to convert
Grosmont into his main residence and which included the building of the
Great Chimney, of which Grosmont is justifiably famous. Edmund extended
the South-West tower making it into a 5 storeyed keep, the living
quarters of which could only be reached by a dismountable wooded
stairway. Furthermore he installed a giant false doorway which allowed
access to the ground and first floor only; thereby in the event of
attack, keeping himself and his family safe above. Evidence of these
works is still apparent today.
Before leaving the village of Grosmont we visited the local church,
built by Prince Edmund for his mother Queen Eleanor. Here we inspected
a carved effigy of a 12th century Knight thought possibly to be Ralph
Grosmont who is so strongly entwined with the history of all 3 royal
castles.
There followed a truly delicious lunch at Part-y-Seal Tea Rooms
situated on the outskirts of Grosmont-a delightful and unusual
establishment run by, and greatly influenced by, a charming
Chinese family.
Then onwards to our last destination- White Castle (original name
Llantilio Castle) - so called because its exterior was originally
covered by a white rendering which is still visible in parts today.
Compared with the two previous castles, this one was massive in its
size and stature. The castle is pear shaped and sits on a mound
completely surrounded by a deep moat. Here the outer bailey defences
are largely intact - an unusual feature of surviving Norman castles in
Wales, as usually these outer defences have long since disappeared.
Within is a high curtain wall still of its original height and which
connects the castle’s 6 large round towers. Original
arrowloop openings can clearly be seen where archers would have manned
the defences. Interestingly, the main weapon of use for the defence of
a castle was the crossbow - not the longbow as portrayed in films.
The gatehouse of this impressive castle has many details remaining
which rival most other Welsh castles. The workings could clearly be
envisaged by looking at the channels, grooves and holes either side of
the drawbridge area. The more adventurous of our group climbed to the
top of the gatehouse tower and gained a vantage that afforded excellent
views of the outer bailey, moat, inner ward and most of all, the
beautiful surrounding countryside.
Although all three castles saw a brief revival of fortunes during the
‘Glyn Dwr uprising’ of the early 14th century, all
were largely abandoned after that crisis had passed. Fortunately, all
three remained for a time as local centres of administration, estate
management and revenue collecting. The records show that monies were
spent on upkeep and repairs through to the end of the Middle Ages, and
this has no doubt contributed to the fine state of preservation of
these three castles as can be seen today.
Many, many thanks go to Sandy Williams and Ilfa Jones who did such a
sterling job in organising such an interesting and educational
trip…..and many thanks go to Paul for bringing the history
of these three castles alive…we were rivetted for the whole
excursion.
Sue Wheeler
Copyright©2009
Paul Martin Remfry