Skenfrith Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Ynys Gynwreid; Skinffrith

In the community of Llangattock Vibon Avel. In the historic county of Monmouthshire (Modern authority of Monmouthshire, preserved county of Gwent).

Quadrilateral enclosure castle, mentioned, 1183, reconstructed in its present form in early C13, possibly still maintained into C16. The castle enclosure measures: 56m on the NW; 68m on the NE, river front; 34m on the SE and 54m on the SW, with c.8.0m diameter round towers at each angle and an additional tower on the SW front. Within the enclosure is a battered round tower, 13m in diameter overall, and remains of internal ranges. Away from the river there was a 12m wide stone-revetted moat. Constructed by Hubert de Burgh (1219-1232). One of the Three Castles held in common ownership, with Grosmont and White Castle.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO45702027

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 93431
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 01698g '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.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=118
    http://www.castlewales.com/sknfrth.html
    http://www.castlewales.com/sknfrth1.html
    http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scripts/nthandbook.dll?ACTION=PROPERTY&PROPERTYID=221
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/trilateral.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/161/skenfrithcastle.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/skenfrith.html
• Books
  • Remfry, P.M., 2008, Skenfrith Castle and the families of Fitz Osbern, Ballon, Fitz Count, Burgh, Braose and Plantagent of Grosmont (Castle Studies Research & Publishing)
    Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p180-6
    Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p110-164
    Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (University of Wales) [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?phillips_phd_2005] p314-6
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p140-2
    Remfry, Paul, 2000, Skenfrith Castle 1066 to 1449 (SCS Publishing: Worcestershire)
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p131
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p32-33
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p379-80
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p837-8
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p109-10
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p98-9
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p159-163
    Bradney, J.A., 1904-33, History of Monmouthshire Vol1 p62-3
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p90-1
    Bagnall-Oakley, M.E., 1896, Papers on Monmouth Castle, etc. (Mon and Caerleon Ant. Ass.)
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p467-72 [reprint of 1881 article]
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol2 p326-7, 329-31
    King, Edward, 1799-1805, Munimenta antiqua or Observations on ancient castles (W.Bulmer and Co) Vol3 p75-9
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p191
• Journal Articles
  • Guy, Neil et al, 2008/9, 'Skenfrith Castle' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol22 p21-25 [slight]
    Evans, P., Troot, K. and Pannett, A., 2007 [published 2009], 'Excavations at Skenfrith Castle, Monmouthshire, 2003' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol156 p73-122
    Bradley, J and Gaimster, M. (eds), 2004, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2003' Medieval Archaeology Vol48 p340, 341 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Anon, 2003, 'Wild water and wharfs at Skenfrith' Heritage in Wales Vol26 p5
    [Knight], 1973, Medieval Archaeology Vol17 p166 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Craster, O.E. [and Talbot], 1967, 'Skenfrith Castle: When was it built?' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p133-158
    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
    Renn, D.F., 1961, 'The round keeps of the Brecon region' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol110 p129-43
    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
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] p19-64
    1957, Medieval Archaeology Vol1 p158 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    1909, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol64 p95-8
    Bagnall-Oakley, M.E., 1895-97, 'Grosmont Castle, Skenfrith Castle and Church, Pembroke Castle' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol20 p88-99 http://www2.glos.ac.uk/bgas/tbgas/v020/bg020088.pdf
    Clark, 1881, The Builder Vol41 p814-5, plan at 827
    Banks, R.W., 1876, 'The castles of Grosmont, Skenfrith and Whitecastle' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol31 p299-302
• Guidebooks
  • Knight, Jeremy K., 2009 (Rev.edn), The Three Castles: Grosmont Castle, Skenfrith Castle, White Castle and Hen Gwrt medieval moated site (CADW)
    Knight, Jeremy K., 2000 (2edn), The Three Castles: Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle (CADW)
    Knight, Jeremy K., 1987, The Three castles: Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle (CADW)
    Craster, O.E., 1970, Skenfrith Castle (HMSO)
    Radford, C.A.R., 1949, Skenfirth Castle (HMSO)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p316-7
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/hertseng.html#mons3]
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol2 p70 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryofjohnl02lelauoft