Llangibby Castle

Llangibby Castle stands on a ridge above dense woodland near Llangybi in Monmouthshire. The ruins occupy a large rectangular enclosure about 164 metres by 78 metres, surrounded by deep ditches. A grand gatehouse with two D-shaped towers marks the entrance in the south-west corner. The only standing tower, the Lord’s Tower, rises at the north-western edge of the curtain wall. Archaeologists now believe the site was built as a hunting lodge and pleasure garden rather than a fortress. The castle replaced an earlier Norman motte-and-bailey first recorded in 1262. It passed through the de Clare family and was later held by Bogo de Clare and Gilbert de Clare. After the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Gilbert’s widow and sister continued work on the residence. During the English Civil War the castle was refortified by Sir Trevor Williams before being slighted at the war’s end. Visitors walk along the largely intact curtain wall and pass the gatehouse with its latrine turrets. The Lord’s Tower still stands to a good height, offering views over the surrounding ridge. Inside the enclosure the remains of the Civil War earthworks are visible. The stable ranges from the 17th-century house survive nearby as Grade II listed buildings.