Tretower Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Stratdewy; Ystrad Yw; Stratewy; Straddewy

In the community of Llanfihangel Cwmdu With Bwlch And Cathedine.
In the historic county of Brecknockshire (Modern authority of Powys, preserved county of Powys).

Consists of a motte and bailey which were built during the Norman conquest of Brycheiniog. In C12 the wooden buildings were replaced in stone. A shell keep was built around 1150, a hall and solar were erected to the south-west side of the motte and a kitchen was built at a slightly lower level. In the early C13 the inner walls of this range were demolished and a round tower was built. Today it is this tower which dominates the castle site. The tower has three storeys each with a single room with a fireplace and a window. The foundations of the tower contain a basement. Within the curtain wall of the castle are the remains of a small, rectangular gatehouse.

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 SO18462126

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; 306010

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 35919

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=135
    http://www.castlewales.com/tretwr.html
    http://www.cpat.org.uk/educate/guides/brecast/brecast.htm
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p34-5 [plan]
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p15-17
    Remfry, Paul, 1998. Castles of Breconshire (Logaston Press) p176-81 [plan]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p21
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p381
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p172
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval Military Architecture in England  (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p499-503 [Reprint of 1876 Arch. Camb. article]
    King, Edward, 1799-1805, Munimenta Antiqua Vol3 p38-42
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p358
• 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
    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 p81
    Renn, D.F., 1961, 'The round keeps of the Brecon region' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol110 p138-9 and plate
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh, 1960, 'Tretower. The castle and the court', Brycheiniog Vol6 p1-31
    Marshall, 1932, Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club p169-71
    Gardner, 1922-3, Proc. Monmouthshire and Caerleon Antiquarian Association p31-4 [King writes 'not important']
    Clark, G.T., 1876, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol7 p276-83
• Guidebooks
  • Radford, C.A.Ralegh, revised and edited by Robinson, D.M., 1986 3rd edn, Tretower Court and Castle (CADW)
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh, revised by Robinson, D.M., 1985. Tretower Court and Castle (CADW)
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh, 1950. Tretower Court and Castle (HMSO)
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh, 1948 2edn. Tretower Court and Castle (HMSO)
    Humphreys, D.W., n d, Tretower Castle
• 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 p108