Raglan Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Ragland; Yellow Tower of Gwent

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

Remains of impressive C15 castle built by Sir William ap Thomas and his son William Herbert, remodelled by William Somerset, third earl of Worcester, 1549-89. The plan of the site suggests it was built on the site of an earlier motte and bailey. Despite demolition attempts during the Civil War, much of the hexagonal-shaped Great Tower (The Yellow Tower of Gwent) and lavish suites of state apartments still survive.

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 Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO41440830

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; 93387

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 00814g

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=113
    http://www.castlewales.com/raglan.html
    http://www.castlewales.com/rag_tour.html
    http://www.borderdisc.com/mag/raglan.htm
    http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/raglan.htm
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/161/raglancastle.htm
    http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/C/castle/rag_main.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p197-9, 631-5
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p136-40
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p124-6
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p28-31
    Kenyon, John R., 1987, ‘The gunloops at Raglan Castle, Gwent’, in Kenyon, John R. and R Avent (eds), Castles in Wales and the Marches: essays in honour of D J Cathcart King, (Cardiff: University of Wales Press) p161-72
    Lewis, J.M., 1987, ‘The chapel at Raglan Castle and its paving-tiles’, in Kenyon, John R. and R Avent (eds), Castles in Wales and the Marches: essays in honour of D J Cathcart King, (Cardiff: University of Wales Press) p143-60
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p374-6
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p163-7
    Bradney, J.A., 1904-33, History of Monmouthshire Vol2 p1-31
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p86-90
    Bradley, J.A., 1896, Papers on Monmouth Castle etc (Mon and Caerleon Ant. Ass.)
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol2 (London) p479-83
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p373-6
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol1 p136-49
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p190
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol3 p159-63
• Journal Articles
  • Whittle, E., 2003, 'Raglan - a palace with gardens' Heritage in Wales Vol25 p7-9
    Coplestone-Crow, B., 2000, 'Strongbow's grant of Raglan to Walter Bluet' Gwent Local History Vol89 p3-27
    Kenyon, John R., 1996, 'Raglan Castle: a Reconsideration of an Aspect of the Herbert Period, c. 1460-1469' Monmouthshire Antiquarian Vol12 p52-3
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p216
    Emery, A., 1975, 'The development of Raglan Castle and keeps in late medieval England' Archaeological Journal Vol132 p151
    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
    Gardner, 1915, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser6] Vol15 p10-16 [weak]
    Bradley, J.A., 1895-97, 'Raglan Castle' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol20 p76-87
    Beattie, W., 1855, Journal British Archaeological Association Vol10 p317-31
• Guidebooks
  • Kenyon, John R., 2003 (Revised edn), Raglan Castle (CADW)
    Kenyon, John R., 1988, Raglan Castle (CADW)
    anon, 1987, Raglan Castle (CADW)
    Durant H., 1980 2edn, Raglan Castle (Starling)
    Durant H., 1966, Raglan Castle (Pontypool)
    Taylor, A.J., 1950, Raglan Castle (HMSO)
    Somerset, 1917, Raglan Castle (Abergavenny)
    Heath, 1823, History and Descriptive Account of Raglan Castle (Monmouth)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/hertseng.html#mons8]
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol3 p45