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Tretower Castle today

Wales · Ruin

Tretower Castle

Castell Tretŵr

Tretower Castle is a Grade I-listed medieval castle ruin in the village of Tretower, Powys, Wales. Founded as a motte-and-bailey and rebuilt in stone, it retains a 12th-century shell-keep with a tall 13th-century cylindrical keep and surrounding curtain walls. The castle fell from regular use after residential ranges were built nearby, leaving the fortifications to decay.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1200

Its prime

1230

Today

Ruin

As it stood in 1230

What Tretower Castle looked like in its prime.

Roughly triangular in plan, the castle presents a low irregular stone shell-keep set on the western corner motte, with a tall, three-storey cylindrical keep rising from its centre. Low curtain walls and fragments of stone ramparts enclose the bailey; a pronounced slanted batter (talus) marks the keep base and is capped by a decorative string-course. Surrounding terrain is open green lawn and rolling fields, and in prime the space between shell and keep is roofed over.

Its story

The story of Tretower Castle.

Tretower Castle was built around the beginning of the twelfth century as a motte-and-bailey, probably replaced mid-century by a stone shell keep, an irregular enclosure with a gate-tower on the line of approach from the bailey. In the early thirteenth century the castle was enlarged, and a tall cylindrical keep of three storeys was raised at the centre of the shell, entered at first-floor level above a strong slanted batter marked by a decorative string-course.

Over time the lords of Tretower favoured the more luxurious Court nearby, and the castle fell into disuse and then ruin as residential ranges were built close by. The roughly triangular site, with its keep and curtain walls, is now a Grade I-listed ruin in the village of Tretower in Powys.

Step inside

7 places to explore in 1230.

The record describes 7 distinct spots at Tretower Castle, including 1 interior: interior of the roofed shell-keep. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the baileyShell-keep gate-tower (exterior)Keep base with talus and first-floor entranceInterior of the roofed shell-keepWalled bailey with corner towersMotte and keep assemblage (western corner)View from the top of the cylindrical keep

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The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1230, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.

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Questions about Tretower Castle

What is the history of Tretower Castle?

Tretower Castle began in the early twelfth century as a motte-and-bailey castle, probably replaced around 1150 by a stone shell-keep. It was enlarged in the early thirteenth century when a tall cylindrical keep was added inside the shell. Residential buildings later formed Tretower Court, and the lords favoured the more luxurious residence, leaving the castle to fall into disuse and ruin.

What is inside Tretower Castle?

Inside Tretower Castle, the roofed shell-keep encloses the tall cylindrical keep, with the space between them roofed over in its prime. The keep has three storeys and an original entrance at first-floor level, above a strong slanted batter or talus. The supplied description does not identify named rooms.

Why was Tretower Castle built, and what was it used for?

Tretower Castle was built as a motte-and-bailey fortress and later strengthened with a stone shell-keep, curtain walls and a cylindrical keep. Its purpose changed when residential buildings were constructed nearby to form Tretower Court; the lords favoured this more luxurious residence, and the original fortifications fell into disuse.

Where is Tretower Castle?

Tretower Castle is in the village of Tretower, in Powys, Wales. The site is associated with Cwmdu and District. Its roughly triangular grounds include the castle’s motte, keep, bailey and curtain walls, surrounded by open green lawn and rolling fields.

When was Tretower Castle built?

Tretower Castle was built in the twelfth century, in several phases. It began as a motte-and-bailey around the beginning of that century, was probably replaced by a stone shell-keep around 1150, and gained its tall cylindrical keep by about 1230.

What did Tretower Castle look like in its prime?

In its prime, Tretower Castle was a roughly triangular stone fortress with the motte and keep assemblage at the western corner. A low, irregular shell-keep surrounded a tall three-storey cylindrical keep, while curtain walls and cylindrical corner towers enclosed the bailey. The keep stood on a pronounced slanted batter capped by a decorative string-course.

Is Tretower Castle still standing, or is it a ruin?

Tretower Castle is now a ruin, although its principal fortifications survive. The site retains the twelfth-century shell-keep, the tall thirteenth-century cylindrical keep, curtain walls, fragments of stone ramparts and the bailey enclosure. It is a Grade I-listed medieval castle ruin.

Who built Tretower Castle?

Tretower Castle was founded by Sir Miles Picard, a follower of Bernard de Neufmarché. His son, Roger Picard I, probably replaced the motte with a stone shell-keep around 1150. By about 1230, Roger Picard II may have added the tall cylindrical keep, although the supplied material describes this attribution as possible.

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