471:. The archaeologists concluded that the banks and ditches surrounding the walls were almost entirely Civil War defences, and that the castle had been substantially remodelled in the later 17th century to provide a new main entrance, and to landscape the area inside the walls to form a garden. Some of the ruins became garden features, and others were removed to make way for the landscape garden and the carriage road. The archaeological team had available the extensive historical record of cost accounts from medieval Tregrug, which show expenses for elaborate gardening for the structure. The team concluded that the structure was primarily residential rather than defensive in purpose, a medieval ‘pleasance’ rather than a military castle.
217:
31:
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283:, which is first mentioned in records dating from 1262. Surrounded by dense woodland, on the top of a ridge, the present remains include a large, nearly rectangular walled enclosure, about 164 m (180 yards) by 78 m (85 yards), surrounded by ditches - the size of the bailey makes it the largest single-enclosure castle in
431:, having previously been used as a bowling green. These were felled in the early 21st century, as were the softwood trees planted in the central enclosure, while New Llangibby Castle was demolished in 1951. The north and south stable ranges, both contemporaneous with the new house, remain and are
295:, to the left of which stands a large stone tower, known as the 'Lord's Tower'. Recent archaeological thinking suggests that the castle's main function may have been recreational rather than defensive; it was probably built as a hunting lodge, with accompanying gardens in the style of a
483:
is 164 m (180 yards) by 78 m (85 yards), making it "one of the largest single-enclosure castles in
Britain." The bailey is entered through a "huge" gatehouse in the south-west corner, with two D-shaped towers, similar in design to the entrance tower at
323:
spelling of the nearest settlement), Tregruk Castle (English phonetic form) and
Llangybi (or Llangibby) Castle. It is unclear whether the settlement of Tregrug was named after the hilltop structure, or the structure was named after the settlement.
436:
163:
664:
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381:
in 1314. Kenyon supports the contention that the primary purpose of the castle was as a “grand country retreat or hunting lodge, albeit martial in appearance”, rather than a truly defensive structure.
541:
recorded his impressions of Sir Trevor in a letter dated 17 June 1648: “Sir Trevor is the most dangerous man by far… He is a man full of craft and subtlety, full of jealousy, partly out of guilt.”
516:
Both
Whittle (1992) and Salter (2002) favour de Clare as the builder, although Salter acknowledges the possibility of the later castle being the work of Hugh Despenser, during his brief ownership.
336:
to the east of the existing ruins, is first recorded in 1262. This castle was later superseded by the current structure. The estate, including the motte-and-bailey, came into the ownership of the
496:, is indicative of the domestic and recreational purposes of the castle. To the north-west stands the 'Lord's Tower', the only other tower still standing to any height. The
373:
The historian John Kenyon has suggested that much of the later work at the castle may have been undertaken by
Gilbert's widow, Matilda, and by his sister and heiress,
1398:
1499:
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who began the construction of the late medieval structure from which most of the now-standing ruins derive. It was attacked during the revolt of
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In the late 17th century, the
Williams family built a new house nearby, known as New Llangibby Castle, adapted the castle ruins to a
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residence, enclosed in a high stone wall, with defensive banks and ditches, was started in the early 14th century, probably by
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feature, to complement a new house, New
Llangibby Castle, which was built in the grounds at the very end of the 17th century.
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350:, for some years before his death. In 1369, the community of Tregrug was severely affected by one of the later outbreaks of
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492:. John Kenyon suggests that the high quality of the design and construction of these facilities, built in finely cut
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299:‘pleasance’. The castle had fallen into disuse by the 16th century but was refortified and garrisoned during the
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1400:
Llangibby Castle, Near Usk, Monmouthshire, South Wales: Archaeological
Evaluation and Assessment of Results
857:
633:"The Castle Builders: Dreams & Decorations – Castles as Homes & Palaces - Free Documentary History"
525:
Sir Trevor’s frequent changes of allegiance during the Civil War and its aftermath saw him support firstly
529:, then Parliament, then revert to the king, before again siding with Parliament and finally aligning with
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611:“pleasance or pleasaunce: garden, especially that of a medieval castle, manor house or monastery”.
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house, known as New
Llangibby Castle, was still standing when Tyerman and Warner published their
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439:. Tregrug Castle, and the remnants of the original motte-and-bailey fortification, are
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notes the conscious attempt to imitate the architecture of the almost contemporaneous
1483:
367:
362:. The castle passed briefly into the hands of the Despenser family; it may have been
343:
296:
266:
1358:
590:
in
February 1951. They described the avenue of Scots Pines which was also noted by
575:
550:
428:
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826:
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The ruin is called by several different names, including
Tregrug Castle (from the
400:
the dilapidated castle was refortified and held by an influential local magnate,
554:
489:
437:
Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales
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Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales
1362:
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657:"Tregrug Castle, Llangybi: earthwork castle; Llangibby Castle Mound (307862)"
71:
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269:, Wales, located about 1 mile (1.5 km) to the north of the village of
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and Warner (1951) repeat the myth that the new castle was "designed by
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971:"South Stable Range at Llangybi Castle Farm (Grade II) (26229)"
751:
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Tregrug Castle, Llangybi; Earthwork Castle, Llangibby Castle Mound
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Llangybi Castle Estate records at the National Library of Wales
1002:"North Stable at Llangybi Castle Farm (Grade II) (26228)"
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423:. In the late-19th century, the motte was planted over with
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at the war's end, it was subsequently redeveloped as a
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Registered historic parks and gardens in Monmouthshire
1296:(2009). "16". In Gray, Madeline; Morgan, Prys (eds.).
735:
733:
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
858:"Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell - Letter 61"
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In 2010, the remains at Tregrug were investigated by
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which surrounds the bailey is still largely intact.
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feature and in around 1707 established an avenue of
194:
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1302:. The Gwent County History. Vol. 3. Cardiff:
1242:. The Gwent County History. Vol. 2. Cardiff:
1094:
1070:
1058:
938:
793:
537:. This gained him a reputation for unreliability.
1417:. A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales. London:
565:, another building erroneously ascribed to Jones.
276:The castle appears to have superseded an earlier
1470:Llangibby House entry at Parks & Gardens UK
1465:Llangybi Castle at the Gatehouse Gazetteer site
1406:. Salisbury, Wiltshire: Wessex Archaeology Ltd.
1335:. Malvern, Worcestershire: Folly Publications.
419:which ran from the gates of the estate to the
886:
479:The site is broadly rectilinear. The central
455:View of New Llangibby Castle dating from 1793
8:
1460:Llangybi Castle at the Castles of Wales site
1115:"Llangibby Castle (Castell Tregrug) (MM110)"
488:. Turrets either side of the towers contain
1278:. The Buildings of Wales. London: Penguin.
231:Location of Tregrug Castle in Monmouthshire
1082:
332:The original castle on the site, a Norman
29:
20:
1239:The Age of the Marcher Lords, c.1070-1536
342:family in 1245, and was in possession of
1105:
1103:
821:
819:
752:Cambrian Archaeological Association 1936
435:. The site is listed at Grade II on the
404:. At the end of the war, the castle was
1368:Monmouthshire: A Green and Smiling Land
778:
684:
650:
648:
624:
509:
160:
129:
16:Medieval castle in Monmouthshire, Wales
1299:The Making of Monmouthshire, 1536-1780
1209:. Llandysul, Ceredigion: Gomer Press.
953:
901:
810:
763:
739:
695:
693:
273:, close to the settlement of Tregrug.
223:
1332:Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower
1236:; Hopkins, Tony; Howell, Ray (eds.).
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1500:Scheduled monuments in Monmouthshire
1146:Cambrian Archaeological Association
827:"Sir Trevor Williams (c.1623-1692)"
1451:Llangibby Castle (Castell Tregrug)
1033:"Llangibby House (PGW(Gt)27(MON))"
291:. The bailey is entered through a
14:
1173:Oxford Dictionary of Architecture
1120:National Historic Assets of Wales
1038:National Historic Assets of Wales
1007:National Historic Assets of Wales
976:National Historic Assets of Wales
447:2010 archaeological investigation
112:Llangybi Castle (Castell Tregrug)
1232:Kenyon, John R. (2008). "4". In
402:Sir Trevor Williams, 1st Baronet
222:
215:
377:, after Gilbert's death at the
699:Wiles, J. (13 February 2003).
654:Wiles, J. (13 February 2003).
346:(1248-1294), the third son of
72:51.6717048000°N 2.9204741000°W
1:
832:Dictionary of Welsh Biography
77:51.6717048000; -2.9204741000
1411:Whittle, Elisabeth (1992).
1521:
392:to the Williams family of
258:[ˈkastɛɬtrɛˈɡriːɡ]
1361:; Warner, Sydney (1951).
1304:University of Wales Press
1244:University of Wales Press
887:Tyerman & Warner 1951
837:National Library of Wales
702:"Llangybi Castle (94896)"
433:Grade II listed buildings
210:
206:
202:
157:
126:
95:
28:
1495:Castles in Monmouthshire
1170:; Wilson, Susan (2016).
917:. Parks & Gardens UK
1178:Oxford University Press
1155:Archaeologia Cambrensis
1095:Wessex Archaeology 2009
1071:Wessex Archaeology 2009
1059:Wessex Archaeology 2009
939:Wessex Archaeology 2009
794:Wessex Archaeology 2009
281:motte-and-bailey castle
45:Llangybi, Monmouthshire
1379:Hodder & Stoughton
1083:Curl & Wilson 2016
456:
249:
35:Castle remains in 2011
1490:Castle ruins in Wales
1329:Salter, Mike (2002).
454:
379:Battle of Bannockburn
1203:Howell, Ray (1988).
863:. OliverCromwell.org
396:in 1554. During the
254:Welsh pronunciation:
1414:Glamorgan and Gwent
1275:Gwent/Monmouthshire
1234:Griffiths, Ralph A.
956:, pp. 311–312.
813:, pp. 104–105.
441:scheduled monuments
68: /
1395:Wessex Archaeology
1374:The King's England
1206:A History Of Gwent
1150:"Llangibby Castle"
602:published in 2000.
600:Buildings of Wales
588:The King’s England
457:
384:Tregrug came into
375:Elizabeth de Burgh
354:. A new ambitious
187:Reference no.
148:Reference no.
133:Scheduled monument
117:Reference no.
102:Scheduled monument
1428:978-0-117-01221-9
1342:978-1-871-73161-3
1313:978-0-708-32198-0
1285:978-0-300-09630-9
1253:978-0-7083-2198-0
1216:978-0-863-83338-0
1187:978-0-199-67499-2
915:"Llangibby House"
398:English Civil War
301:English Civil War
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1124:. Retrieved
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1097:, p. 3.
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1042:. Retrieved
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1168:Curl, James
954:Newman 2000
902:Newman 2009
811:Kenyon 2008
764:Howell 1988
740:Salter 2002
592:John Newman
559:John Newman
555:Inigo Jones
535:Restoration
475:Description
417:Scots Pines
75: /
51:Coordinates
1484:Categories
1377:. London:
1363:Arthur Mee
1196:1055586546
1176:. Oxford:
1044:6 February
619:References
582:volume of
563:Troy House
531:Charles II
427:trees and
390:Queen Mary
352:the plague
179:Designated
1437:473187732
1387:906097367
1322:552064875
1262:836831938
1126:21 August
1013:20 August
982:20 August
921:20 August
867:19 August
842:19 August
712:1 October
670:1 October
527:Charles I
468:Time Team
462:Channel 4
421:River Usk
370:in 1316.
293:gatehouse
1397:(2009).
1351:54947157
1272:(2000).
1225:19268836
1148:(1936).
708:. RCAHMW
576:Georgian
490:latrines
406:slighted
339:de Clare
305:Slighted
271:Llangybi
198:Grade II
41:Location
1365:(ed.).
1139:Sources
706:Coflein
661:Coflein
638:YouTube
594:in his
551:Tyerman
533:at the
425:conifer
328:History
285:England
195:Listing
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665:RCAHMW
494:ashlar
481:bailey
278:Norman
1404:(PDF)
861:(PDF)
504:Notes
356:noble
321:Welsh
289:Wales
261:) or
246:Welsh
152:MM110
121:MM109
1455:Cadw
1433:OCLC
1423:ISBN
1419:HMSO
1383:OCLC
1347:OCLC
1337:ISBN
1318:OCLC
1308:ISBN
1280:ISBN
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1182:ISBN
1128:2021
1111:Cadw
1046:2023
1029:Cadw
1015:2021
998:Cadw
984:2021
967:Cadw
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