- Type
- Ruin
- Built
- c. 1067 · 11th century
- Location
- Wales, United Kingdom
- Commissioned by
- William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford
- Coordinates
- 51.8125°, -2.7169°
History
The castle was founded around 1067 by William FitzOsbern, one of William the Conqueror's closest companions, as an earth-and-timber stronghold guarding the Welsh border. In the 12th century a stone Great Tower was raised, and in 1267 Henry III granted Monmouth to his son Edmund, founder of the House of Lancaster, under whom the great hall was built. The future King Henry V was born here in 1386 or 1387. During the Civil War the town changed hands several times, and in 1647 the castle was slighted so it could never again be held. In 1673 Henry Somerset, Marquess of Worcester, built Great Castle House within its bailey.
What to see
On the hill above the Monnow stand sections of the Great Tower and the great hall, cared for by the Welsh heritage agency Cadw. Beside them rises the elegant Great Castle House of 1673, headquarters of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers, the oldest regiment in the British Army Reserve. It is home to a small castle and regimental museum.
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