Regency Destinations: Caldicot Castle

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MONMOUTHSHIRE The ruins of Caldicot Castle are situated at the extremity of the marshy district called Caldicot Level in the midst of a flat meadow about a mile from the British Channel and near a village of the same name anciently Cil y Coed or the skirt of the wood a ridge of land probably once fortified connects the western side of the Castle with the village The ground on the outside of the moat is quite marshy and appears to have been at some period continually overflowed so that the fortress stood on a peninsula This Castle is an irregular polygon in figure the greatest length of the area is about one hundred yards its greatest width is seventy five yards but towards the eastern side where the walls trend in a circular direction the width does not exceed forty yards The walls are formed of coarse materials and vary in thickness from five to nine feet the towers are faced with hewn grit stone the masonry of which is extremely neat and compact Caldicot Castle Mr Archdeacon Coxe observes in his Historical Tour in Monmouthshire seems to have been constructed and repaired at different intervals but on the whole bears a Norman character The round Tower in the middle of the side fronting the village was probably erected near the time of the Conquest for the door way has a rounded arch the other parts seem to be of a later date as all the porches and windows are pointed but of that species which was used not long after the introduction of what is called Gothic architecture The principal entrance is to the south west it is a grand arched Gateway which was strengthened by two portcullises and flanked with massive turrets now so much covered with ivy that the upper part is scarcely discernible In the inside of the arch above are round holes formed for the purpose of pouring down hot lead or stones on the besiegers The stone engroined roof of the porch is still remaining In the towers on each side are three oblong apartments with chimnies opposite is another entrance which is a hexagon tower with a machiolated roof A sallyport which is more pointed than the arch of the grand entrance leads into the moat The Keep stands at the northern angle it is a lofty circular tower elevated on a mound of earth and encircled by a ditch The Tower at the southern angle which appears to have been of an oblong form terminating in a circular projection towards the moat is almost dilapidated The Baronial Hall appears to have been situated between this tower and the principal gateway In the lower parts of the north eastern walls of the Castle are four fire places somewhat elegant in figure but the apartCALDICOT Caldicot Castle

CALDICOT CASTLE ments they belonged to have disappeared on one of them are indications of the herring bone masonry The history of Caldicot Castle Mr Coxe remarks is obscure and I have been able to discover only scanty documents of its founders and proprietors The ponderous style of the building and the chinks and merlons which are few in number prove its antiquity probably the most ancient part may have been the Castle begun by Harold and afterwards finished by the Normans while they were engaged in subjugating and securing Gwent This fortress was of considerable importance for the purpose of retaining in subjection the south eastern parts of Monmouthshire It was early in the possession of the great family of Bohun According to Dugdale Humphrey Earl of Hereford the fifth of that line did homage in 1221 and had livery of his Castle of Caldicot which was one of his father's possessions he was called the good Earl of Hereford and dying in 1275 was buried before the high altar in the Abbey of Lanthony Humphrey his fifth descendant died in 1373 leaving only two daughters Eleanor who espoused Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester sixth son of Edward the Third and Mary the wife of Henry of Bolingbroke afterwards Henry the Fourth Thomas of Woodstock obtained the Earldom of Hereford the Constableship of England and among other possessions the Castle of Caldicot Probably the Castle on the attainder which preceded his assassination in 1397 was secured by the Crown Anne daughter of Thomas of Woodstock on the death of her only brother Humphrey became co heiress to the large possessions of the house of Bohun she married Edmund Earl of Stafford who according to Dugdale did homage for his wife's inheritance in 1402 and died seised of Caldicot Castle Soon after the accession of Henry the Fifth the possessions of Humphrey de Bohun were divided by act of Parliament between the King as heir of his mother Mary and Anne Countess of Stafford as heiress of Eleanor It appears from the partition roll of these estates preserved in the Archives of the Duchy of Lancaster that the Castle of Caldicot was comprehended in the property assigned to the Crown On the attainder of Henry the Sixth it was transferred to Edward the Fourth who granted it with many other possessions to William Lord Herbert of Raglan afterwards Earl of Pembroke Upon his death at the battle of Banbury it reverted to Henry the Sixth during his short lived success and was again resumed by Edward the Fourth Richard the Third restored it by act of Parliament to Henry Duke of Buckingham who was lineally descended froni the Countess of Stafford On the attainder of that nobleman's son and successor of the same name in 1522 his estates were forfeited to the Crown and Caldicot Castle was annexed by Henry VIII to the Duchy of Lancaster to which it still belongs The ancient castles of England and Wales (1825)

Caldicot Castle’s swampy plain, called Caldicot Level or vale of Troggy, gave the appearance of a sunken tower and citadel (Wales Illustrated in a Series of Views, 1810).  Made of light grey stone masonry with a Gothic gateway, ivy coverage was the only thing that “agreeably relieved” the edifice to the Regency visitor.  While this wouldn’t be a site to travel great distances to, these castle remains would have been a bucolic delight day trip for neighboring households.  Many of the illustrations from the 19th Century like the two shared feature grazing animals bespeckling the landscape in invitation for a tromp and picnic to wonder at the Gothic ruins.

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