White Castle was established by the Normans in the wake of the invasion of England in 1066, to protect the route from Wales to Hereford. Possibly commissioned by William fitz Osbern, the Earl of Hereford, it comprised three large earthworks with timber defences. In 1135, a major Welsh revolt took place and in response King Stephen brought together White Castle and its sister fortifications of Grosmont and Skenfrith to form a lordship known as the 'Three Castles', which continued to play a role in defending the region from Welsh attack for several centuries.

King John gave the castle to a powerful royal official, Hubert de Burgh, in 1201. Over the next few decades, it passed back and forth between several owners, as Hubert, the rival de Braose family, and the Crown took control of the property. During this period, White Castle was substantially rebuilt, with stone curtain walls, mural towers and gatehouses. In 1267 it was granted to Edmund, the Earl of Lancaster, and remained in the hands of the earldom, and later duchy, of Lancaster until 1825.

Edward I's conquest of Wales in 1282 removed much of White Castle's military utility, and by the 16th century it had fallen into disuse and ruin.

The castle is made up of a central inner ward, a crescent-shaped hornwork to the south, and an outer ward to the north, with its stonework constructed from red sandstone. The outer ward was originally much larger, extending around the castle further to the east, but only limited traces of these earthworks survive. It is now entered from the north-east although, prior to the 13th century, the castle 's entrance was originally on the south side. The historian Paul Remfry considers the castle to be 'a masterpiece of military engineering' for the period.

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Founded: c. 1067
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

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User Reviews

Ian&Linda Parr (6 months ago)
Very quiet location, down a narrow country lane with passing places. Limited parking. Lovely walk on the Offa's Dyke path and along the River Trothy.
Garf (7 months ago)
We did Grosmont, Skenfrith and White Castle back to back today. Think White was our favourite. Pretty easy to find, couple of narrow lanes but nothing terrible. Limited parking. Not a lot of information boards but loads of space for picnics, running around, etc. Can whizz round it in 20mins, we spent about an hour chilling here.
Sara Anne (7 months ago)
A lovely little historical site. There's a CADW donation box for entry (recommended donation is £3). There's a couple of picnic benches to have a picnic. There's a small car park area outside. Dogs are welcome but to be kept on the lead.
R T (8 months ago)
Wonderful ruins to walk around, peaceful setting & well maintained. Definitely worth a visit.
Alice Widger (10 months ago)
Amazing castle, with a moat full of flag iris's too. Great to explore, though parking can be difficult at busy times of the year.
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