Caldicot Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Caldecot; Conscuit

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

The strategic location of Caldicot has been occupied since the Bronze Age. By the time of the 1086 Domesday Book a small village was established. In C13 a stone building was constructed by landowner Walter Fitzroger. He built the highly defensive round keep, on the existing motte, with walls nine feet thick. At the time, with the River Nedern navigable and the River Severn nearby, the keep was an important stronghold. The land passed to the DeBohun family at the end of C13. The politically powerful dynasty lived at the castle for more than two hundred years. The structure was expanded to include a curtain wall, towers and an unusual right-angled design gatehouse. Geophysical survey has indicated the presence of complex building remains within the main castle enclosure

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Not known if listed listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST48688851

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Monuments Record number; 93411

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 00513g

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/caldicot.html
    http://www.caldicotcastle.co.uk/
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/caldicot.html
    http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/caldicot.htm
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p624-5
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p123-5
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p42
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p12-13
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p281
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p333-4
    Birbeck, T.T.. 1973, Sword and ploughshare: the story of the de Bohuns and Caldicot. (Chepstow: Chepstow Society)
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p156-7
    Tipping, 1921, English Homes period 1 Vol1 p67-82
    Harvey, Alfred, 1911, Castles and Walled Towns of England (Methuen and Co) p114-21
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p76-9
    Morgan and Wakeman, 1854, Notes on Caldicot Castle (Monmouth and Caerleon Antiquarian Association)
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol1 p18-22
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p184
• Journal Articles
  • Daintith, I. [et al], 2002, 'Caldicot Castle' Archaeology in Wales Vol42 p125-7
    King, D.J.C., 1978, ‘Caldicot Castle’, 125th Annual Meeting in Gwent and the Forest of Dean, 1978, CAA p13-14
    Birbeck, T.T., 1970-2, ‘Medieval Caldicot’, Severn and Wye Review Vol1 p11-16
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Birbeck, T.T., 1965, ‘Caldicot Castle’, Presenting Monmouthshire Vol20 p27-30
    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 p142
    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)] pp90-121
    Rees, W., 1953, ‘Caldicot Castle’, Programme of the 100th Annual Meeting at Chepstow, 1953, CAA p11-12
    Cobb, 1919, Proc. Monmouthshire and Caerleon Antiquarian Association p7-11
    Tipping, 1918, Country Life Vol94 p238-44, 260-6
    Cobb, J.R., 1895, Clifton Antiquarian Club Vol3 p35-40
    Bellows, J., 1877, Cotteswold Field Club Vol6 p263-7
• Guidebooks
  • Anon, n.d. (c.2005), Caldicot Castle, Where History and Tranquility Meet (Monmouthshire County Council)
    Birbeck, T.T., 1965, Caldicot Castle (Pontypool; Chepstow Rural District Council)
    Cobb, 1931, Story of Caldicot Castle (Privately published)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/hertseng.html#mons5]