Evidently, the purpose of the castle had shifted dramatically – from military outpost to noble home. And the design of the Gatehouse helped fulfil this aim. It was the architecture of grand pretensions – a breath-taking entrance to the building, highlighting the social importance of Raglan’s owners. The Third (and final!) Age of Raglan: The Tudor Oriel Window The beauty of Raglan Castle can be seen for miles around the countryside. The Great Tower serves as the predominant feature of the castle. It is surrounded by a moat, which is crossable by a bridge from the main castle Getting to Raglan Castle The arrow shows the direction of the wind (up is north). If the arrow points from land to sea, the wind

Despite a garrison of 800 men and one of the longest sieges of the Civil War, it fell to parliamentary forces and was deliberately destroyed. Among the looted treasures was a piece of Tudor wooden panelling, now proudly displayed in the visitor centre after being rescued from a cow shed in the 1950s. Beware of offshore winds if you are using inflatables, paddle boards or kayaks. These winds can blow you Then, ironically enough, the English Civil War came – and the grand fortified manor of Raglan was at the front-lines of a lengthy siege and armoured bombardment. The castle sustained significant damage in the war – and was ‘slighted’ (intentionally destroyed) after battle ended. The impressive gatehouse of Raglan Castle. The unmistakable silhouette of Raglan crowning a ridge amid glorious countryside is the grandest castle ever built by Welshmen.

The Third (and final!) Age of Raglan: The Tudor Oriel Window

Aside from the finish, the Gatehouse design appears defensive, too: the construction includes two portcullises, a drawbridge and numerous arrow-loops; but these features were more likely to demonstrate strength than to be used in battle. That’s because the Gatehouse was built in 1462 – during the third wave of Raglan’s construction, well after any military threat had subsided. Evidently, the more modern segments of Raglan Castle mushroomed around the Great Tower, but the Tower’s strength and purpose remained intact throughout its existence. Successive owners – such as Sir William Herbert – could effectively move into the castle and ‘pull up the drawbridge’ if they wanted peace and quiet. The ruined state apartments of Raglan, latterly built behind the Great Tower. Note the delicate frieze above the ruined archway on the left. This is the average number of seconds between one wave and the next, 1-2 miles out to sea. A long wave Originally, the west wing had a two-story hall and pantry that was a little shorter. A grand staircase leads to the main entrance of the building, which was built in the second half of the 15th century and was dominated by residential structures. The building to the west of the tower was completely rebuilt in the 16th century. The Fountain Courtyard, which was linked to both courtyards, had windows facing both the keep and the moat. In the 16th century, a long, 38 meter gallery was added to the eastern part of the courtyard, and in the 17th century, a chapel was built on the eastern part of the courtyard. Inside, a stone vault with human heads carved in it was crowned with corbels. It has few similarities to other Welsh fortresses and was built in the late medieval period. Outside the outer bailey fortifications, there is a large keep, two parallel drawbridges, and some prominent machicolations, all of which imply continental influence. Although William ap Thomas and his son fought in France, this may provide a clue as to how the castle was conceived.

Outside the castle, they landscaped a series of water-gardens and even a bowling lawn: completing the image of a perfect country house. This bridge from the Southern Gate of the castle once lead to an ornate and delicate c17th bowling green. Much of what remains at Raglan dates from the 15th century, the period of the Wars of the Roses and the rise of the Tudor dynasty. The Great Tower is the most impressive of the buildings from this period, dominating the two courtyards of the castle. In 1469, Sir William Herbert was captured by Lancastrian supporters at the Battle of Edgecote and put to death. At this time the work was unfinished. There’s one final part of Raglan Castle which I’d like to focus upon: the sad grandeur of the mighty Tudor Oriel Window, which would have been one of the most magnificent features of the c16th and c17th castle. A view of the Oriel Window inside Raglan Castle – once of the most dramatic additions made to the castle in the mid c16th.During the c16th, Raglan Castle was owned by the Earls of Worcester – and they lavished money to create a truly grand country home. The Earls created the grand Hall, connecting the Cobblestone Court with the Fountain Court; and an extremely grand Long Gallery – an upstairs corridor used to demonstrate the power and prestige of the noble family. individual waves out to sea or at the beach can be higher than this number. If you are close to the If you’d like to visit Raglan Castle today, you’ll almost certainly need your own transport – the castle’s located on a minor slip-road leading off from the busy A40. When the siege was over, the building was an independent defense structure built with the kitchen and latrines to withstand long sieges, as well as a residential structure during war. The fireplace could be found on the lowest floor of the keep, along with a well that was embedded in one of the walls. The entrance to Raglan Castle’s Great Gate was originally vaulted and protected by three double-leaf doors and two portcullises. There were machicolations and battlements built on both sides of the gate and towers, as well as gargoyles that drained rainwater from the surrounding area. Round holes were also found at ground level, but many were pierced by holes in latrines and fireplaces. The Great Gate was framed by a spacious Pitched Stone Court, as well as the addition of a large hall on the west side, which was surrounded by kitchens, breweries, and other utility rooms. In the northwestern section of the courtyard, there was a well. The Great Tower and moat stand alone outside the castle – like a sentinel guarding a palace. To reach the Tower, access today is via a modern wooden bridge from the Eastern Gate to the main ruins – but c15th visitors would have used a bascule drawbridge – a design infrequently seen in Britain.

Intricately carved wooden panels were de rigueur and Raglan’s very own lost (and found!) Tudor panel is on show in our visitor centre. Raglan castle is an impressive late medieval building and although now ruined, it remains a striking presence in the landscape of south-east Wales.

This is the average height of the waves, 1-2 miles out to sea. The height of the waves can vary. The This number shows the air temperature for the time period. You can see the temperature in Celsius or The result of the civil war was the deliberate destruction (slighting) of the castle – which saw hundreds of precious manuscripts, paintings and antiques being engulfed in flames. It also reduced the castle to the ruins we see today. Visiting Raglan Castle Today: Tips and Advice The second significant period in Raglan’s history is exemplified by the Gatehouse. The Gatehouse is easily the most photographed spot of Raglan Castle – and that’s certainly because those hexagonal towers and pointy machilations (battlements) have a story-book quality. An aerial view of the Gatehouse of the castle, looking down from the top of the adjacent Great Tower. After Sir William’s death in 1461, his son William Herbert became Baron Herbert of Raglan and embarked on an ambitious building programme to reflect his new status. He developed suites of accommodation around the Fountain Court, built the Pitched Stone Court, and constructed the gatehouse to both impress and intimidate visitors to the castle.

The Great Tower would once have been the crowning glory of Raglan Castle: and it’s a good spot to first focus your attention. The Military Might of Raglan’s Great TowerEmbrace your inner inventor as you experience new installations, exhibitions and creations at the grandest castle ever built by a Welshman. period (more than 10 seconds) means the waves at the beach may be more powerful. Lifeguards can give you Rather than provide an extensive history, I’m going to focus on three sections of the castle: the Great Tower, the Gatehouse, and the Tudor Oriel Window. I’ll use these three parts of the castle to illustrate three crucial periods in Raglan’s history. The Three Ages of Raglan Castle As a result, different segments of Raglan were built at different times, and this is quite evident as you approach the castle. After you proceed through the entrance kiosk and shop, two elements at the front of the ruins vie for your attention.