Hay Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Hay-on-Wye Castle; Gelli; Tregelli; castello de haia; La Haie Taillee

In the community of Hay. In the historic county of Brecknockshire (Modern authority of Powys, preserved county of Powys).

An oval enclosure, c.71m by 94m, largely obscured by later developement, defined by scarps with ruins of a tower, gate and curtain wall to the N. Later mansion built against the tower. Built in the C12 and damaged during several rebellions throughout the C13, and again in 1400 by Owain Glyndwr; divided up after 1702, and underwent major restoration in 1910. Damage from two fires in the C20 necessitated futher restoration. The castle is 3-storeys, constructed of coursed rubble with freestone window dressings and stone tiled roof. Mainly small pane sash windows. Former keep advanced at an angle to left. Although the interior has been partly gutted, some interesting features remain, including the spinal corridors with pointed Jacobean openings, and a medieval fire place in the kitchen.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO22934229

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 25593
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 440 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/hay.html
    http://www.richardbooth.demon.co.uk/flat/history.htm
    http://history.powys.org.uk/history/hay/castle2.html
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/hay.html
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/hay.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/148/hayon.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p54-5
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p26-7
    Clarke, K., 2000, The book of Hay (Almeley: Logaston Press) [espec chapter 1]
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p13-14
    Remfry, Paul, 1998. Castles of Breconshire (Logaston Press) p109-17 [plan]
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p91-3
    Remfry, Paul, 1995, Hay on Wye Castle, 1066 to 1298 (Worcester: SCS)
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p184
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p18
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p358
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Fairs, 1972, History of the Hay (Chichester) p4-36, 323-6
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p671
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p170
    Armitage, Ella S., 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London) p291
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47833#s1
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p355
• Journal Articles
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Chateau Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol112 p77-124
    King, D.J.C., 1961, ‘The castles of Breconshire’ Brycheiniog Vol7 p78-9
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
    Taylor, A.J., 1951, 'Report of the 98th Annual Meeting held at Brecon 1951' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol101 p170-76
    1914, Country Life Vol36 p422-7
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Giraldus Cambrensis, c.1183, Description of Wales [http://www.building-history.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Primary/Gerald.htm]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p105-6
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p226
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1906, Leland's Itinerary in Wales (Bell and Sons; London) p111 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryinwales00lelauoft
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such.)
  • Silvester, R.J. and Dorling, P.J., 1993, Historic settlements in the Brecon Beacons National Park (CPAT report)