Tretower Castle and Court
A castle has stood on this site controlling the valley leading up to Talgarth and the Wye Valley since the 12th Century
Tretower Castle and Court
Today visitors to Tretower Court can step back in time and experience the house as it would have been in its heyday in the 15th century, exploring the great hall, the reconstructed medieval garden and even the working kitchen.
Tretower Castle was not only for defence. The quality of the ornamental stone work ranks it amongst the best castles in Wales; for some of its history at least, this castle was a prized place to live and a status symbol.
The castle remains today date from the 13th century, although the original castle on the site was a Norman Motte and Bailey castle.
Welcome to Tretower Castle and Court
Tretower Castle sits in a strategic position on the north bank of the River Usk where the road through the Usk valley branches towards Talgarth and the Wye valley; a strong and commanding position from which any medieval Lord could exercise control over his land.
The original castle on the site was a Norman Motte and Bailey castle. This was a large earthen mound topped with wooden defences. The original castle was built during the Norman conquest of the ancient Kingdom of Brycheiniog, when powerful Norman nobles settled in Brecon and the surrounding area to establish their control.
The castle has been modified many times in its history, being rebuilt in stone in the mid 12th century; in the 13th the castle was extensively remodelled when the great tower, which dominates the site today, was built.
Although in ruins today, the castle remains are a powerful reminder of the wealth, status and influence of the Lords of Tretower during the medieval period. By 1400 the domestic residence had moved to Tretower Court, but the Castle survived and continued to be used as a military fortress in times of war, such as during Owain Glyn Dŵr’s uprising.
In the 14th Century Tretower Court took over from the Castle as the main place to live on the site . It was held by the Vaughan family through to the 18th century, one of the richest families in Wales. They extended and adapted the buildings to meet their tastes and needs for over 300 years.
At the end of the 18th century Tretower Court became a farm (with part of the building even used as a pigsty) and these remarkable buildings declined until they were saved from neglect and restored in the 20th century.