Photo source: Robert Cutts from Bristol, England, UK, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
About this place
Grosmont Castle stands on a low ridge above the River Monnow in Monmouthshire, one of a trio of fortresses built to guard the old route between Wales and England.
Cadw looks after the ruins, and entry is free.
The castle keeps its original moat, crossed today by a timber footbridge, and a rare surviving chimney stack rising from the hall block.
Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle together are known as the Three Castles of Gwent.
Read more on WikipediaHistory
A castle was raised at Grosmont soon after the Norman Conquest to control the border country, and it passed into royal hands under Hubert de Burgh in the early 13th century, when much of the stone building seen today was constructed. In 1405, English forces defeated a Welsh army in a significant engagement near the castle during the Glyndŵr uprising. The site was held by the Duchy of Lancaster until the early 19th century and came into state care in 1923, now managed by Cadw.
Architecture
The surviving hall range features a tall chimney stack, an unusual survival for a medieval domestic building, and the ruins retain a horseshoe-shaped ditch that once formed a full moat.
Worth knowing
The castle was the scene of a significant royal victory over Owain Glyndŵr's forces in 1405, fought in the fields just outside its walls.
Facilities
Plan your visit
Nearest station: Abergavenny Rail Station (9.2 miles)
Open year-round without charge; check Cadw website for seasonal variations.
Nearby properties
Kentchurch Court
View Kentchurch Court on heritage mapSkenfrith Castle
View Skenfrith Castle on heritage mapWhite Castle Ruins
View White Castle Ruins on heritage mapSt John the Baptist's Church, Llanrothal
View St John the Baptist's Church, Llanrothal on heritage mapHen Gwrt Medieval Moated Site
View Hen Gwrt Medieval Moated Site on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Grosmont Castle Ruins there are 2 historic properties, including 1 Defence and 1 historic house, across Cadw and Historic Houses sites.
Within 10 miles of Grosmont Castle Ruins there are 10 historic properties, including 3 Defences, 2 churchs and 2 historic houses, across Cadw, Churches Conservation Trust and Historic Houses sites.
Within 20 miles of Grosmont Castle Ruins there are 34 historic properties, including 9 churchs, 6 castles and 6 historic houses, across Cadw, Churches Conservation Trust and English Heritage sites.
Facts
One of the Three Castles of Gwent, still ringed by its original moat and reached by a timber footbridge.
- Type
- Defence
- Location
- Monmouthshire, Wales
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