Powis Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Powys; Castell Coch; Pool; Pola; Pole; Trallwng; Red Castle; Redde Castle; Castel Cough

In the community of Welshpool. In the historic county of Montgomeryshire (Modern authority of Powys, preserved county of Powys).

The oldest part of the structure, possibly dating to about 1200, is probably the tower at the north-east end of the inner ward, while the curving masonry at the south end of the south-east wall suggests the presence of a shell keep at a similar date. The north-east tower may have formed a gateway for this. This hypothetical stronghold, which probably had a north-east bailey, seems to have been demolished and replaced by a sub-rectangular structure, containing a hall on the north-west and possibly a second tower on the north-east. Later still, probably after 1277, the imposing south-west gateway was built, apparently incorporating some reused stone. The outline of the original crenellations can be seen on the western tower a little below the existing C19 ones. The present outer ward was completed in stone at much the same time.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ21570643

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 29858
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 123 '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/powis.html
    http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/historicproperties/index.cfm?fuseaction=property&property_id=227
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/126/powiscastle.htm
    http://www.stmem.com/powis-castle-and-garden/
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/powis.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p196-8
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p48-50
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p150-1
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p121-2
    Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p300 Vol2 p567
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p374
    Haslam, Richard, 1979, The Buildings of Wales; Powys (University of Wales Press) p188-96
    Girouard, Mark, 1967, 'A Welsh Fortress Veiled in Antiquity: Powis Castle, Montgomery' in Country Life Annual
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p223-5
    RCAHMW, 1911, An Inventory of Ancient Monuments in Montgomeryshire (HMSO) p182-3 No932
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p450-51
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47891#s7
    Evans, J., 1809, The Beauties of England and Wales Vol24 p876-885
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p414
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol7 p99-102
• Journal Articles
  • Stephenson, David, 2007, 'Powis Castle: A Reappraisal of its Medieval Development' Montgomeryshire Collections Vol95 p9-21
    Arnold, C.J., 1993, 'Powis Castle: The Developement of the Structure’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol81
    Arnold, C.J., 1990, 'Powis Castle. Powys - Report on the survey of the long gallery roof'
    Arnold, C.J., 1990, 'Powis Castle: The Outer Bailey’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol78 p65-71
    Arnold, C.J., 1989, 'Powis Castle: Report on the survey of the south and southeast elevations'
    Arnold, C.J., 1988, 'Powis Castle. Welshpool’ Archaeology in Wales Vol28 p73-4
    Arnold, C.J., 1987, 'Powis Castle. Welshpool’ Archaeology in Wales Vol27 p62
    Cornforth, John, 9 July 1987, 'Powis Castle, Powys' Country Life
    Arnold, C.J., 1986, 'Powis Castle: The Outer Bailey’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol74. 70-2
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T., 1986, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1985’, Medieval Archaeology Vol30 p198 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Arnold, C.J., 1985, 'Powis Castle. Welshpool’ Archaeology in Wales Vol25. p42
    Arnold, C.J., 1985, 'Powis Castle: Recent Excavations And Observations’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol73 p30-7
    Morgan, R., 1980, ‘A note on Powis Castle’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol68 p90-2
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Spurgeon, C.J., 1966, ‘The castles of Montgomeryshire’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol58 p38-9, 51-4
    Radford, C.A.R., 1962, ‘Powis Castle’, The 109th Annual Meeting: Programme, 1962, CAA p25-7
    Hussey, Christopher, 28 May, 6, 13, 20 June 1936, 'Powis Castle' Country Life Vol79 p564-72, 598-604, 624-30, 652-8
    Owen, R., 1923, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol78 p382-8 [history]
    Tipping, H.Avray, 3 and 10 Feb 1917 'Powis Castle' Country Life Vol41] p108-15, 132-9
    Tipping, H.Avray, 1908, Country Life Vol23 [slight]
    Anon, 9 May 1904, 'Powis Castle' Country Life
    Anon, 5 Jan 1901, 'Powis Castle' Country Life
    Jones, M.C. and Sandford, G., 1882, Montgomeryshire Collections Vol15 p361-404
    Hartshorne, 1861, Journal British Archaeological Association Vol17 p22-8
• Guidebooks
  • Rowell, Christopher and Gallagher, Jane, 1987, Rev 1994, Powis Castle Guide Book (National Trust)
    1979, Powis Castle Guide Book (National Trust)
    
• 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] p324-5
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#mont3]
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1906, Leland's Itinerary in Wales (Bell and Sons; London) p53 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryinwales00lelauoft