Montgomery Castle

Montgomery Castle is a Norman castle over looking an area known as the Welsh Marches, the border between Wales and England. It has had various rebuilds and modifications. And history. Lots and lots of history. I have posted the photos of the signs in a rich format so that you can enlarge and read them. For the serious history, check out the links below.

Distance: .6 mile or less if you wish.

Elevation: mostly flat but uneven,   Wheelchair some, but not all is accessible

Popular but not crowded in the middle of winter.  Path Condition: Very good, but can be slippery in places.

Dogs yes and no, (While the signs say service dogs only, there were several dogs there on leads)

Bathrooms none

There are several websites about this castle. I would recommend:

• Basic info: http://www.castlesfortsbattles.co.uk/central_wales/montgomery_castle.html
• Detailed history: https://medievalheritage.eu/en/main-page/heritage/wales/montgomery-castle/
• Cromwell Assn: https://www.olivercromwell.org/britain_images/montgomery/montgomery.htm

Montgomery Castle is a Norman castle over looking an area known as the Welsh Marches, the border between Wales and England. It has had various rebuilds and modifications. And history. Lots and lots of history. 

If you want to just look at pictures, click on a picture and you will get a slide show. (I tried post the photos of the signs in a rich format so that you can enlarge and read them, but the interweb has flummoxed me again. Give me a couple of days and I will reformat.) For the serious history, check out the links above.

Overlooking the Severn River, this castle dominates this valley.

To get there you go thru the town of Montgomery. There are signs that point you up and up and up. 

 If you are wanting more of a hike, or driving some large vehicle that will not be happy going up these tiny roads park in the center of town near the museum.

There is a generous car park. If it is rather empty, you should plan your parking with thought to your leaving as it fills up rapidly.

The house along this path is stunning. I love how they echoed the towers in the round construction

 

You come around the corner to a view of the ruins and the valley beyond.

  It is easy to see why this rock was so important in defense of this area.

Crossing  the bridge.

 

 Look down to see the moat, the curtain wall, and into some of the lower rooms.

 

As you step into the castle proper, there are rooms, and stone work, and so many things to explore.
 There is also an icy wind that will blow small children off the mountain! Come prepared.

This is the story of poor Maud Vras. I like the telling at Travellark: The gatehouse told a tale of Maud Vras, who was killed in 1288 by a falling stone. She had gone to the castle to reclaim some cookware from William of St Albans, a sub-constable of the castle. The inquest was nine years later, brought by her daughter Mabel. William claimed the rock had been knocked by his cloak and fallen by accident. The jury believed William and he was acquitted. Maybe it was an accident, or maybe it was a really nice saucepan that William didn't want to return. It does seem a bit of an extreme reaction for a saucepan, but people are strange, so what do I know?

  

Here is the well. This was central to the everyday life in the castle, crucial under siege. Remember this castle is situated on a big, big rock. “Digging” meant going down thru solid rock until water was found. Notice that the well is in a well fortified place in the castle, accessible if they had to retreat into the innermost rooms. It is capped for safety reasons.

I have found many of these stone paths around Wales, with the slate placed on edge, then the between is filled with earth. They are so beautiful. These can pose a hazard to those of us with mobility issues. If you use a cane or walking poles be aware of where you set your pole. And wheelchairs and walkers with small wheels can face difficulties. These were not placed here with your convenience in mind. Think of the muddy, slippery mess from feet, paws, and hooves churning up the mud.

Occasionally one may find a truly artistic stone floor like this one. I find no explanation for this one. Perhaps when I am able to go to the museum in the summer months.

 

 

I learned a new word. Montgomery Castle was eventually slighted, that is destroyed enough to make it not useful. It doesn't pay to be on the losing side.

 Many of the arches are intact.

 

     Slits in the wall for the Bowmen

    

You are able to find many of these slots in the stonework. These were for placing cross beams to hold the flooring of the upper floors. And for gates. Imagine the size of the oak trees used to make the joists.

After you have explored the inner castle, return back across the bridge. One can walk around the outside of the castle. There is a steep drop at the first part of the path. I went clockwise as I do better taking the difficult portion going up hill. 

  

The path is very easy around the base of the castle.

 You walk past the moat area. Lovely green grass now, in the day it must have appeared unpassable.

 

Look up at the castle and feel how strong and solid it was. Where the walls are broken, it reminds us of how important it was that the stone wall be smooth, leaving no hand holds. There are no “hidden” entrances to be found.

There are some places where the wall is damaged showing the inside of the wall. Amazing to think of the stone masons creating it.

Like many of the Welsh castles, there are wonderful signs explaining the history. There is an especially notable one to the north from the Cromwell Association.

       

  

I think the most enjoyable part of this walk is along the southern part of the curtain wall. The views are amazing, the path is in good condition, but not overdone.  You stroll along the curtain wall, the outer layer of the castle. You can look back up at the bridge.  The echoes are loudest here.

On our way out, we pulled the car off at the base of the rock.  If you look along the skyline, you can see a bit of one of the towers, way up there.

There are three trips I have added to my must visit list:

• Dolforwyn Castle: Across the valley to the northwest. I have been there, but now I want to revisit it having been to Montgomery Castle
• Museum: not open in the winter, I really want to go back and spend time there. I have questions.
• Return Here: to walk to nearby Hen Domen and Ffridd Faldwyn one of the largest hillforts in Wales.

And the beer part of the trip: The Nags Head. For a posh place, this was unusually friendly, especially to the small ones in our group.  And the food was fantastic.