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The three castles differ from each other in situation and character. Skenfrith, the smallest of the three, and the one which was least pulled about by its later owners, lies low, at a point where a lateral depression opens out into the main valley of the [river] Monnow. The builder did not take advantage of any one of several neighbouring knolls, but [...] [more...] [$]
The Main Gateway [$]
There has been a castle at Abergavenny since around 1087, but today’s ruins were built in the 13th and 14th centuries. Today there is a gate with barbican and a couple of towers. There are [...]Castles of Wales web site. Abergavenny is also called, in Welsh, Y Fenni. [more...] [$]
The Round Tower. [$]
Stradling Arms in Inner Court [$]
Penrice Castle: The Gate-House.
“This is the largest, but not [according to Sir Charles Oman] the most interesting, of the three castles of Gower. For though its enciente, round keep and gate-house are standing, it as as mere masses of rubble, all the ashlar and carved stonework having been most carefully peeled off the rough cores within. It stands about a mile and a half from the sea, on a plateau at the head of a deep coombe, which runs down through woods to Oxwych Bay. Its back is toward a cliff or very steep descent [...] [more...] [$]
“Pembroke possess one curiosity unparalleled in other British castles: under the inner ward on the north side is an immense natural cavern, called the Wogan, 70 feet long and 50 broad, which was from the first utilized as a good dry storehouse. It was aproachable from above by stairs, and below had an opening on to the creek, blocked by a water-gate, by which boats could communicate with the castle, and even small ships lie close in and land heavy goods.” (p. 203)
The castle was probably started by Arnulf of Montgomery, who arrived at Milford haven in 1090.
The map or plan of the castle shows the Pembroke River flowing towards the West, Monkton Pill (presumably a sort of pond), the Inner Ward with the Hoist, Supposed Chapel, Banquet Hall, St. Nicholas Chapel near the Wogan Cavern, the Norman Hall and the circular Keep, the Outer Ward with the Prison Tower, the Horse Shoe Gate Tower, the Monkton Postern leading to the Quay, the Monkton Bastion and, following [more...] [$]
Situated on a narrow creek running up from Milford Haven—quite a separate one from that on which Carew lies, but only two and a half miles from that great castle, is a smaller stronghold, very typical of the solid style of building by which the minor lords of “Little England beyond Wales” maintained their hold on the land. This is Upton, the patrimonry [...] [more...] [$]
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