Great Castle House

Great Castle House stands on the site of part of Monmouth Castle in Wales. It occupies Castle Hill, off Agincourt Square in the town centre. The building is a former town house, completed in 1673 for Henry Somerset, the 3rd Marquis of Worcester. He served as Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. The house later became an Assize Court until the Court moved to Shire Hall in 1725. Since the mid-19th century, it has been the Headquarters of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia). The house is one of the town’s most significant buildings and has a Grade I listing. It is also one of 24 sites on the Monmouth Heritage Trail. The architect remains unknown, but the house was built using blocks of Old Red Sandstone, likely reused from the castle’s gatehouse and Great Tower. The facade is severely symmetrical with an elegant doorway. The interior is described as astonishing, particularly for its plasterwork, which features pendant floral festoons in the Marquis’s former private rooms. Visitors find the house still functioning as the regiment’s headquarters, with part of it housing the Castle and Regimental Museum. The museum opens onto the King’s Garden, where plants known to have grown during Henry V’s time can be seen. Displays include regimental artefacts, regalia, and the history of the Dukes of Beaufort. The remains of the castle stand in the courtyard, adding to the site’s historical depth.