Wales · Ruin
Crickhowell Castle
Crickhowell Castle is a largely ruined medieval fortification in Crickhowell, Wales, now represented mainly by the surviving stone tower remnant on Castle Green and the earthwork motte. Originally founded as a motte-and-bailey in the early 12th century, it was refortified in stone from 1242 and later damaged and abandoned in the early 15th century.
Its prime
1242
Today
Ruin
As it stood in 1242
What Crickhowell Castle looked like in its prime.
Perched on an oval motte above the town, the castle in its prime had a continuous stone curtain enclosing a large bailey and several substantial projecting stone towers; the shell keep foundations sat atop the raised earthen mound. The masonry is roughly coursed local stone, grey-brown in tone, forming tall, solid walls with regularly spaced arrow slits and large arched openings at lower levels. The bailey lay on the gentler slopes below, opening to the surrounding Usk valley and town.
Its story
The story of Crickhowell Castle.
Crickhowell began as a motte-and-bailey castle raised from around 1121, probably by Robert Turberville of the notable Norman family, then a tenant of the Marcher lord Bernard de Neufmarché. The Turbervilles held it through the 13th century — Henry de Turberville and later Hugh Turberville both served as Seneschal of Gascony — and the castle was refortified in stone from 1242.
Hugh Turberville, who held Crickhowell from 1273 as mesne lord rather than tenant-in-chief, fought against Rhys ap Maredudd in his rising of 1287–91 and died in 1293, the last of the family in the direct line. In the 14th century the castle passed into the hands of the powerful Mortimer dynasty of Marcher Lords, declining as a smaller holding within their large portfolio of lands, titles and greater castles.
Damaged and abandoned in the early 15th century, the castle survives as the stone tower remnant on Castle Green and the earthwork motte, and is a Grade I listed building. An alternative name, "Alisby's Castle", is thought to recall a former governor, Gerald Alisby.
Step inside
7 places to explore in 1242.
The record describes 7 distinct spots at Crickhowell Castle — including 1 interior: interior chamber of the stone tower. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.
Create History
Recreate Crickhowell Castle with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1242 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate this castle →Whose castle
Clans who held Crickhowell Castle.
The families that held Crickhowell Castle for a decade or more across its history — follow a name to its clan.
Turberville
Held by the Turbervilles from the castle's founding c. 1121 until the death of Hugh Turberville in 1293, last of the direct line.
Mortimer
In the hands of the Mortimer dynasty of Marcher Lords through the 14th century.
