White Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Llantilio Castle; Blanc Castle

In the community of Llantilio Crossenny. In the historic county of Monmouthshire (Modern authority of Monmouthshire, preserved county of Gwent).

Originally a single ward castle with a crescent shaped barbican surrounded by a formidable wet most. The ward was built in stone with a square keep in C12. The keep was demolished in C13 and the curtain wall given four round towers and a twin tower gatehouse. The barbican appears to have been abandoned as part of this rebuilding as a very large but weakly defended outer ward was built to the north. A strongly fortified oval enclosure, c.50m by 38m, defined by a C12 curtain with C13 towers, having a crescentic hornwork to the S, both contained in a broad moat. From the NW to the SE is an outer, ditched and scarped enclosure, of which the NW part has C13 walls and towers. The whole work is c.175m by 220m. Work is mentioned, 1161-2 and 1184-7, and thought to have occurred c.1257-77. The castle was described as roofless and derelict in C16. A long, round-angled, field enclosure, c.165m NNW-SSE by 26m, adjoining the castle earthworks on the SW, may be associated with the castle. The castle was held in common with Grosmont and Skenfrith. The C13 work has arrow loops of interesting and ?unique design. Possibly the large castle of 'Guyn' (Gwyn) in Leland's list of castles in Herefordshire.

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 SO37981677

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

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 94853
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 01407g '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=142
    http://www.castlewales.com/white.html
    http://www.castlewales.com/white1.html
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/trilateral.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/161/whitecastle.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/white.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p180-86
    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] p353-4 [slight]
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p143-6
    Remfry, Paul, 2000, White Castle, 1066 to 1438 (SCS Publishing: Worcestershire)
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p136, 138
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p36-7
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p289
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p383
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p853-4
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p159-163
    Bradney, J.A., 1904-33, History of Monmouthshire Vol1 p99-101
    Bagnall-Oakeley, 1896, Papers on Monmouth Castle, etc. (Mom and Caerleon Ant. Ass.) p91-7
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p92-3
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p517-21 [reprint of 1881 article]
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol2 p326-9
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p194
• Journal Articles
  • Guy, Neil et al, 2008/9, 'White Castle' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol22 p15-20 [slight]
    Jones, P.N. and Renn, D.F., 1982, ‘The military effectiveness of arrow loops: some experiments at White Castle’, Château Gaillard Vol9-10 p445-56
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    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
    Hurst, J.G., 1962, 'White Castle and the Dating of Medieval Pottery' Medieval Archaeology Vol6-7 p135-55 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Taylor, A.J., 1961 'White Castle in the Thirteenth Century: A Re-Consideration' Medieval Archaeology Vol5 p169-75 [on dating] [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] p90-121
    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
    O'Neil, B.H., 1936, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol91 p344-6
    Mather-Jackson, 1909, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol64 p138-43
    Clark, G.T., 1881, The Builder Vol41 p815-6 plan at p827
    Banks, R.W., 1876, 'The castles of Grosmont, Skenfrith and Whitecastle' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol31 p302-4
• Guidebooks
  • 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)
    Radford, C.A.R., 1962 (rev edn), White Castle, Monmouthshire (HMSO)
    Radford, C.A.R., 1936, White Castle, Monmouthshire (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] p318-9
• 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]