Raglan CastleCastell Rhaglan
Local highlightOne of the last great castles built in Britain, its moated hexagonal Great Tower slighted after a long Civil War siege, now a Cadw ruin
Open to visitorscheck opening times and admission before you go
Substantial ruinsruined, but plenty survives above ground
Raglan is a latecomer among castles, built in the 15th century when the age of the fortress was nearly over, and it shows: this is as much a palace as a stronghold, put up by Sir William ap Thomas and his son William Herbert to display their wealth and standing. Its centrepiece is the Great Tower, a six-sided keep set in its own moat, known as the Yellow Tower of Gwent. Around it spread grand apartments, a gatehouse and courtyards that once held long galleries and fine gardens. Held for the king in the Civil War, Raglan endured one of the longest sieges of that war before it surrendered in 1646, and Parliament then slighted it, wrecking the walls so it could never be defended again. What survives is a magnificent ruin, looked after by Cadw, with the Great Tower still moated and worth the climb for the view. It stands just off the A40 between Monmouth and Abergavenny, an easy pairing with White Castle and the ruins down the Wye Valley.
