Skenfrith Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Ynys Gynwreid; Skinffrith

In the community of Llangattock Vibon Avel.
In the historic county of Monmouthshire (Modern authority of Monmouthshire, preserved county of Gwent).

Quadrilateral enclosure castle, mentioned, 1183, reconstructed in its present form in early C13, possibly still maintained into C16. The castle enclosure measures: 56m on the NW; 68m on the NE, river front; 34m on the SE and 54m on the SW, with c.8.0m diameter round towers at each angle and an additional tower on the SW front. Within the enclosure is a battered round tower, 13m in diameter overall, and remains of internal ranges. Away from the river there was a 12m wide stone-revetted moat. Constructed by Hubert de Burgh (1219-1232). One of the Three Castles held in common ownership, with Grosmont and White Castle.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry 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 SO45702027

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; 93431

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 01698g

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=118
    http://www.castlewales.com/sknfrth.html
    http://www.castlewales.com/sknfrth1.html
    http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/scripts/nthandbook.dll?ACTION=PROPERTY&PROPERTYID=221
    http://www.castles99.ukprint.com/Essays/trilateral.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/161/skenfrithcastle.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p140-2
    Remfry, Paul, 2000, Skenfrith Castle 1066 to 1449 (SCS Publishing: Worcestershire)
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p131
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p32-33
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p379-80
    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) p837-8
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p109-10
    Toy, Sidney, 1939, Castles: A short History of Fortifications from 1600 BC to AD 1600 (London) p98-9
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p159-163
    Bradney, J.A., 1904-33, History of Monmouthshire Vol1 p62-3
    Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p90-1
    Bagnall-Oakley, M.E., 1896, Papers on Monmouth Castle, etc. (Mon and Caerleon Ant. Ass.)
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p467-72 [reprint of 1881 article]
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol2 p326-7, 329-31
    King, Edward, 1799-1805, Munimenta antiqua or Observations on ancient castles (W.Bulmer and Co) Vol3 p75-9
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol1 p191
• Journal Articles
  • Bradley, J and Gaimster, M. (eds), 2004, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 2003' Medieval Archaeology Vol48 p340, 341
    Anon, 2003, 'Wild water and wharfs at Skenfrith' Heritage in Wales Vol26 p5
    [Knight], 1973, Medieval Archaeology Vol17 p166
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Craster, O.E. [and Talbot], 1967, 'Skenfrith Castle: When was it built?' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p133-158
    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 p129-43
    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
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] p19-64
    1957, Medieval Archaeology Vol1 p158
    1909, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser6] Vol9 p95-8
    Bagnall-Oakley, M.E., 1895-97, 'Grosmont Castle, Skenfrith Castle and Church, Pembroke Castle' Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Vol20 p88-99
    Clark, 1881, The Builder Vol41 p814-5, plan at 827
    Banks, 1876, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser4] Vol7 p299-302
• Guidebooks
  • Knight, Jeremy K., 2000 (2edn), The Three Castles: Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle (CADW)
    Knight, Jeremy K., 1987, The Three castles: Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle (CADW)
    Craster, O.E., 1970, Skenfrith Castle (HMSO)
    Radford, C.A.R., 1949, Skenfirth 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]
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol2 p70