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Home , Caerwent, Chepstow, Chepstow Castle, East Wales, Grosmont Castle, Kidwelly

South east itinerary: follow the story of the Lords of the Southern March

The Lords of the Southern March played a vital – but changing – part in the history of Wales following the . You can follow the story of the start of the conquest of and the struggle to maintain supremacy at a cluster of sites.

The first to be built by the in Wales, , the nearby Abbey, and Castle were powerful statements of intent to subdue and stabilise Wales. The three of Grosmont, White and were built in the Monnow Valley to control the route between and Monmouth. Discover how together the sites formed part of a robust boundary between Norman the Welsh kingdoms and explore the development of a different culture and society as a frontier land. Just 13 minutes drive from Chepstow you’ll find Tintern Abbey, the best-preserved medieval abbey in Wales. Founded by Walter de Clare as a spiritual base for the Norman lords on the England Wales border, Tintern was only the second Cistercian foundation in Britain. The present-day remains are a mixture of building works covering a 400-year period between 1131 and 1536 until the abbey was surrendered to King Henry VIII’s officials. Very little remains of the first buildings but you can marvel at the vast windows and later decorative details displayed in the walls, doorways and soaring archways. If you’re feeling energetic, take a strenuous uphill walk to the ‘Devil’s Pulpit’ for a wonderful bird’s eye view of this great gothic abbey.

Monmouth Castle White Castle Travel up the and the next site you’ll see is commissioned by William Fitz Osberne at the same time as Chepstow, to be the one of the key strongholds of the . The remains of the great tower date to the Chepstow Castle is one of the oldest stone in Britain. first half of the twelfth century and was the birthplace of Henry V. Established by William fitz Osbern just a year after the Battle of Further west you’ll find White Castle surrounded by powerful Hastings, it was so powerful that it continued in use until 1690, round towers. In 1138, King Stephen united White Castle with including an epic Civil War . Century after century, the castle and to create the lordship of the grew and grew along its narrow cliff top ridge. This huge complex, . In 1201 they came under the control of a single lord, grand castle deserves to be explored; it boasts the oldest castle Hubert de Burgh, who knew a great deal about military architecture doors in Europe, all wood and all of 800 years old, and the colourfully from his time fighting in and rebuilt White as a fortress for decorated ’s chamber is a feast for your eyes. It’s been the subject military work whereas he added domestic apartments to Skenfrith of many artists, the most famous being Turner. and Grosmount.

1 A59 A565 3 26 M58 A570

7 M6 A58 6 A580 23 5 LIVERPOOL Amlwch M57 Birkenhead A5025 2 Capel 1 M62 1 y Twrˆ r Hillfort Lligwy 5 7 2 6 A57 Lligwy 2 Holyhead Mountain Hut Group Tregwehelydd Standing Stone Burial Chamber Great Ormes A551 3 1 Din Lligwy Head 3 Caer Gybi Roman Fortlet Prestatyn Penmon Priory 2 3 Hut Group Maen Achwyfan M Holyhead Benllech and St Seiriol’s Well Llandudno A558 Rhyl Cross 4 e A56 4 Penrhos Feilw Standing Stones Presaddfed r Puffin Island Colwyn s e 5 Burial Chamber Beaumaris y 11 4 Bay Basingwerk M53 5 Tyˆ Mawr Standing Stone B5109 Penmon Cross Abergele A5151 A548 12 Castle Abbey 5 6 B5109 and Dovecote 6 Trefignath Burial Chamber Holy Island A5 Llangefni A55 A540 M56 Plas Conwy Castle Flint 9 A55 and Twthill Ty Newyddˆ Burial Chamber A545 Mawr and Town Walls Castle 14 A56 Burial Chamber Bangor St Winifred’s Chapel Llanfairfechan St Asaph A55 and Holy Well 11 7 A541 A550 Burial Chamber 10 Denbigh Friary, A55 A54 Lord Leicester’s Clwyd 7 Din Dryfol A4080 8 A470 and St Hilary’s Chapel 12 Burial Chamber Bethesda B5106 A544 A525 A51 9 Segontium A49 8 A548 A549 Chester Burial Chamber Roman Fort Denbigh Castle Mold Roman Amphitheatre A5118 Chester Gwydir Uchaf and Town Walls A55 9 Castell Bryn Gwyn Llanrwst Castle Llanberis A5 Chapel A51

Caernarfon Castle A494 10 Caer Lêb Dolbadarn Capel Curig A543 A541 A41 and Town Walls Alyn A4086Castle Ruthin

Dee Beeston Betws-y-Coed Castle C a e r n a r f o n A534 A4085 Derwen Burial Chamber Conwy Churchyard Cross Dolwyddelan A525 B a y Wrexham A498 Castle A49 A499 A5014 A483 Beddgelert Blaenau Alwen Rug Ffestiniog Chapel Valle Crucis St Cybi’s Eliseg’s Corwen Pillar Abbey Well A525 A5 Nefyn A4212 A525 Dee Whitchurch Llangar Llangollen Fawr A497 Old Chirk Dee B4417Medieval House A41 Criccieth Llyn Bala Castle Trawsfynydd A495 SouthPwllheli east Wales itinerary: A494 A528 Harlech Bala Lake Old Oswestry A470 Castle Hill Fort A499 follow the story of the Lords of the Southern March Oswestry Abersoch Burial Chamber Moreton Corbet Aberdaron A5 Castle Tanat A496 Lake Vyrnwy Bardsey Cymer Abbey A49 A53 Island Dolgellau A470 Severn Barmouth Pont A495 Minllyn Vyrnwy A458 A458 A5 Banwy A483 Welshpool Wroxeter Cantlop Roman City A493 Llanfair Caereinion Bridge B4405 Dyfi A458 A488 Acton Burnell A490 Castle Tywyn A489 A470 Machynlleth Mitchell’s Fold Langley Motorway M4 Prehistoric Site Chapel Dolforwyn Castle A49 Aberdyfi Dyfi Furnace While you are inB4386 the area, veering away from the A470 A489 Primary Route Roman Site B4518 Church Newtown Stretton Bryntail lords of the southern MarchB4385 make sure you also check out Raglan A488 A487 Main Road Castle, Historic House, Palace Lead Mine Borth Castle, built for show rather than with battle in mind, it still held off C a r d i g a n Bishop’s Secondary Road B4518 Religious Site Castle Severn ’s forces for 13 weeks during the Civil War. From Clun Llanidloes A488 Other Road Historic Industrial Site B a y the great tower to the greatCastle , everything is impressive Aberystwyth A44 A483 Craven Arms Ponterwyd Wye Passenger Railway Other Historic Site Rheidol about . Llangurig Stokesay B4340 Castle National Cycle Network Route English Heritage Site A4120 A4117

Ithon Tourist Information Centre Cadw sites charging for admission are Teme Ludlow Ystwyth (open all year) shown in green; all other sites are free Knighton A4113 B4343

A485 Wigmore 0 5 10 Kilometres Rhayader A488 A456 Tourist Infomation Centre B4356 Castle Pontrhydfendigaid Visit cadw.wales.gov.uk to discover the stories and people behind (seasonal opening) 0 3 6 Miles A44 A487 A470 Presteigne A49 our 128 historic sites. A4112 Aberaeron Strata Florida Mortimer’s Cross B4362 Water Mill New Quay Abbey ‘Like’ Cadw on Facebook and follow @Cadwwales on Twitter or Tregaron downloadLlandrindod our Wells smartphone app to stay up to date. Leominster A44 A44

A4110 Wye A482 A481 A485 B4343 A4111 A4112 A417 Aberporth Raglan Castle B4337 B4567 Teifi Builth A480 A487 A486 B4459 Wells B4546 A438 Cardigan B4570 Lampeter Irfon St Dogmaels A465 A483 Llanwrtyd Wells Abbey A484 A475 A49 Carreg B4350 Arthur’s A4103 Burial Chamber Stone Hay-on-Wye Wye Strumble Cilgerran Hereford A438 Tywi Rotherwas Head Castle Newcastle A482 Fishguard Chapel Newport Emlyn

A485 Gaer Burial Chamber Bronllys A484 Roman Fort Longtown Cothi A40 A470 Castle A487 Llynfi B4313 Honddu Castle Wye

W A479 St Davids A478 Sennybridge e s t u A465 e a Abbey A49 Bishop’s Palace r dd n le Grosmont C C l n ed r A40 Brecon Priory Castle d te Dinefwr A4069 au B4329 s a A4215 A40 Skenfrith A487 E Monnow Court Castle Castle B4347 and Castle A40 Ramsey St Non’s Llawhaden Tywi Island Chapel Castle White Goodrich

A466 Castle Wiston Castle A4067 B4521 Castle 4 Hen Gwrt A48 Carreg Cennen S t B r i d e s A40 A40 Moated Site Haverfordwest Castle B4233 Broad A40 B4312 B a y Narberth TrothyMonmouth Haven Haverfordwest Castle A4068 Brynmawr Castle B4341 A470 3 A4115 Blaenavon Skomer Priory A4221 A4059 A465 A4136 A483 Ironworks Island A4076 A478 B4248 Raglan Wye A477 Castle Ystalyfera Ebbw A476 Castle A40 A4075 A4066 Vale Milford A477 Carew A474 5 St Briavel’s 49 Glyn- A467 Haven Loughor Cross A4048 Castle Merthyr Usk A4046 Raglan A484 Tawe Kidwelly A466 Cynon Tydfil A469 Castle Burry Pontardawe A4109 A465 Tintern

Skokholm A4043 48 Neath Aberdare Port A4061 A472 Abbey Island M4 A4059 Usk Offa’s A4042 2 Pembroke Tenby C a r m a r t h e n A4054 A449 Dyke Carswell 47 45 Lamphey 46 Medieval House Chepstow Bishop’s Palace B a y Loughor 44 Neath Abbey A4233 Castle Castle 43 Afan Treorchy A472 Chepstow Caldey Island Neath Ebbw Runston 1 B4295 42 Llanmelin Wood Bulwarks A4107 Blaengarw Rhymney Chapel Weobley A483 A469 Hillfort Camp B4271 Roman Fortress Castle A4064 A4058 A48 Maesteg Taff 2 Swansea Port 41 M48 Parc le Breos Burial Chamber 26 Castle Talbot 40 A4061 A470 24 A4118 Margam Stones Pontypridd A468 A467 1 Worms Head Museum A4093 23 Roman Town A4063 Caerphilly The 28 NEWPORT M4 21 Oxwich 38 Castle Newport 22 Port-Eynon Castle Coity 29 M4 Newcastle Castell Coch M4 30 S w a n s e a 36 Castle A48 Castle (Bridgend) Llantrisant 29a M49 32 17 B a y 37 35 Avonmouth 34 33 A4106 A48 St Quentin’s Castle 18a y Portishead r () a Porthcawl u 19 Ogmore t s

Castle Priory Burial Chamber E

Cowbridge M5 Penarth n Clevedon 20 A4055 r e

v Burial Chamber e A370 S B4265 Barry Yatton Stanton Drew A38

Circles & Cove 21 Weston-super-Mare

The journey time from Chepstow – Tintern Abbey is approx. 15 minutes, 30 minutes Chepstow – Monmouth, 15 minutes Monmouth – Skenfrith and Skenfrith – Grosmont and 20 minutes Grosmont - Raglan. 2