| Montgomery Castle | |
|---|---|
| Montgomery, Powys | |
 Ruined gatehouse to the inner ward, from the south | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Norman castle |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruins |
| Location | |
  Montgomery Castle | |
| Coordinates | 52°33′45″N3°09′02″W / 52.56253°N 3.15061°W /52.56253; -3.15061 |
| Site history | |
| Events | Wars of the Three Kingdoms |
Montgomery Castle (Welsh:Castell Trefaldwyn) is a stonecastle looking over the town ofMontgomery inPowys,Mid Wales. It is one of manyNorman castles on the border between Wales and England.
Its strategic importance in theWelsh Marches meant that it was destroyed and rebuilt a number of times until the early 14th century, when the area was largely pacified. During theFirst English Civil War, it was the site of the largest battle in Wales on 17 September 1644; the walls wereslighted after theSecond English Civil War in 1649 to prevent the castle being used again.
The originalmotte and bailey is now known asHen Domen and was built at the order ofRoger de Montgomery,Earl of Shrewsbury, sometime between 1071 and 1074. In 1093, it was captured by PrinceCadwgan ap Bleddyn and his brothers.[1] After the rebellion of his sonRobert of Belleme in 1102, the castle was given toBaldwin de Boulers, the derivation of its Welsh name, "Trefaldwyn" or "Baldwin's town". The de Boulers (later known asBowdler) family held the castle until 1214, when it was destroyed by PrinceLlywelyn ab Iorwerth of the RoyalHouse of Aberffraw.[2]
The rebuilding of Montgomery Castle in stone was commenced in the late summer of 1223 on the 16th birthday ofHenry III of England, a mile to the south-east of the original site. Its architect wasHubert de Burgh, who also rebuiltSkenfrith Castle,Grosmont Castle andWhite Castle in theWelsh Marches. From 1223 until 1228 masons worked solidly building the entire inner ward, or donjon as it was then known, on a great rock above the later town of Montgomery. This work consisted of thegatehouse, two D-shaped towers and the apartments which crowded around thecurtain wall of the inner ward. After an unsuccessful attack by PrinceLlywelyn ab Iorwerth in 1228, the middle and outer wards were added; another attack in 1233 resulted in damage to the well tower, which had to be subsequently repaired and re-roofed.[3]
Montgomery was granted aRoyal Charter in 1227, making it the oldestborough in Wales, and in 1267 hosted negotiations for theTreaty of Montgomery, whereHenry III grantedLlywelyn ap Gruffudd the title ofPrince of Wales. In December 1282, the castle garrison formed part of the army that defeated and killed Llywelyn at theBattle of Orewin Bridge.[4]
Thewalled town of Montgomery was attacked by the forces ofOwain Glyndŵr in 1402 and sacked and burned. The local forces successfully defended the castle, but the town remained a ruin until the early 17th century.[3]
When theFirst English Civil War began in August 1642,Mid Wales was largelyRoyalist and the castle held forCharles I by the elderlyLord Herbert of Cherbury. In September 1644, he surrendered toParliamentarian troops commanded bySir Thomas Myddelton andThomas Mytton. On 18 September, a Royalist attempt to retake the castle was repulsed in what was the biggest battle of the war in Wales and a major victory forParliament.[5] However, the new Parliamentarian governorSir John Pryce, a Royalist defector, switched sides again in May 1645.[6]
Much of Wales rose again in the 1648Second English Civil War and the castle walls weredemolished by Parliament in June 1649, despite opposition from the2nd Lord Herbert, who succeeded his father in 1648. This policy was followed throughout England and Wales to prevent them being used again, reducing the number and cost of garrisons required. He was the last to use the castle as a residence and was buried at Montgomery in 1655.[7]
There are permanent exhibitions relating to the medievalHen Domen and Norman Montgomery Castles and their archaeological excavations with scale models of both inThe Old Bell Museum, Montgomery, Powys.[8]
Hungarian poetJanos Arany'sballadThe Bards of Wales, written in 1857, retells the legend of the 500Welshbards allegedlyburned at the stake byEdward I of England for refusing to sing his praises during a banquet at Montgomery Castle, following theEdwardian conquest of Wales.[9]
