Monmouth Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Mingui; Mori

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

Castle established by William fitz Osbern in the late C11. The remains of the Great Hall date to the first half of C12. Later remodelled by the Lancasters. Birthplace of Henry V. A roughly oval enclosure, approx 90m E-W by 140m, defined by scarps, within which, besides Great Castle House, there survive only the ruins of an originally C11-C12 great tower and late C13 hall, both much altered in the later medieval period.

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 Not known if listed listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO50691289

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; 93473

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 01234g

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=95
    http://www.castlewales.com/monmouth.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/162/monmouthcastle.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p132-4
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p104, 106
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p22-3
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p365
    Kissack, K.E., 1974, Medieval Monmouth (Monmouth Hist and Educ Trust)
    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) p739
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p158-9
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p168-9
    Bradney, J.A., 1904-33, History of Monmouthshire Vol1 p7 [poor]
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p84
    Sheppard, H.E., 1896, Papers on Monmouth Castles, etc (Mon. and Caerleon Ant. Ass.) p33-46
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol2 (London) p471-2
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol2 p303-13
• Journal Articles
  • Harfield, C.G., 1991, 'A Hand-list of Castles Recorded in the Domesday Book' English Historical Review Vol106 p 371-92
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p309
    [Jemmett], 1967, Medieval Archaeology Vol11 p290
    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
    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
    Armitage, E., 1904 April, 'The Early Norman Castles of England' The English Historical Review Vol74 p238
    Sheppard, H.E., 1895-97, 'Monmouth Castle and Priory' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol20 p59-75
    Bagnall-Oakeley, 1886, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser5] Vol3 p17-20
• Guidebooks
  • Taylor, A.J., 1951, Monmouth Castle (HMSO)
• 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]