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Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Hay-on-Wye Castle; Gelli; Tregelli; castello de haia; La Haie Taillee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 poinyted Jacobean openings, and a medieval fire place in the kitchen.

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

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

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO22934229

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; 25593

• 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
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p26-7
    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
    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 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp90-121
    1914, Country Life Vol36 p422-7
    Country Life Vol36
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol3 p111
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p226