The Storming Normans to the Middle Ages...
In the late 11th Century, the Normans began their conquest of Wales after they had secured most of England following the battle of Hastings.
Their early castles tended to be of the motte and bailey construction. These were relatively quick and easy to build and provided a degree of protection from attack. The motte was a raised earth mound, usually less than 5m high, encircled by a ditch and topped by timber fortifications; it was often, but not always, surrounded by a timber fortified bailey or courtyard.
Surviving stone built Norman castles in the National Park can be found at various locations and in various states of ruin, such as Crickhowell, Tretower, Bronllys and Hay-on-Wye, with Carreg Cennen providing the best example in the most stunning location.
Picture - Tretower Castle
Other significant castles bordering the National Park include Abergavenny, the White Castle, Skenfrith and Grosmont Castles to the east of Abergavenny, which can be explored on the Three Castles Walk, and, a little further out, Raglan Castle. Many other motte and bailey remains are visible throughout the Park, such as the one at Castell Dinas above Talgarth, built on the remains of a significant iron age hill settlement.
Picture - Tretower Court
The Middle Ages contributed some significant buildings to the National Park, such as Tretower Court, and some fine examples in Brecon, such as the Cathedral, originally dating from the 13th Century, and Christ College, founded by Henry VIII in 1541 on the site of a Dominican friary. There are also the remains of a fine priory at Llanthony, in a spectacular location deep in the Vale of Ewyas between Hay-on-Wye and Abergavenny. It dates from the early twelfth century, and was abandoned and left to decay after the dissolution of the monasteries.
Picture - Llanthony Priory
In the early fifteenth century the Welsh Rebellion, led by Owain Glyndwr encroached upon the area, and included an unsuccessful assault on Carreg Cennen castle, which had been garrisoned to counter the rebellion.
Picture - Carreg Cennan Castle
This period of history was also the start of the industrialisation of the area, something that would eventually have such an impact on the landscape, particularly in the southern part of the Park. Apart from farming, which has always been the dominant industry, the Middle Ages saw the rise of ironmaking, coal mining, limestone extraction and charcoal burning, all of which would eventually drive the industrial might of nineteenth Century South Wales.
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