History Of Raglan Castle The Pearl Of Southern Wales

The Splendor of Raglan Castle

Castles are spectacular!  They are a glimpse into the past lives and customs of our ancestors.  Who doesn’t want to walk in the footsteps of Lords and Ladies?  If you do, then put Raglan Castle on your must see list.

Driving up to this castle is breathtaking, especially on a beautiful, blue skied day.   Raglan Castle looks regal, strong and prominent perched above the surrounding farm lands.   Complete with the Welsh flag flying high above the tower it’s as if the castle is telling you, “I’m here to stay.”

Built as more of a palace and fortress than a military castle, Raglan has more of an opulent feel than one of a war torn battlement.   While the castle now lays in ruin due to past neglect, there are still many surviving clues of her former glory.

Raglan Castle was one of the last medieval castles built in England and Wales.   While construction of the existing castle began in the 1400’s, there were several additions and modification made before it’s attack during the Civil War in 1646.

These modifications are noticeable by the different color sandstone used.   The construction during the 15th century was a pale, more yellowish sandstone.   The Tudors used the local old red sandstone and in the 16th century some Bath Stone was used.   Why all the sandstone?   Well, because sandstone is easier to carve than other materials.   This allowed the craftsman of the day to produce high quality work in the 15th century, hence all the beautiful carved Raglan gargoyles.

The grounds of Raglan Castle are beautiful and the footprint of the castle is massive.  At every corner you can catch a glimpse of something amazing:  the sun bouncing off the different colored sandstone, an ornately carved gargoyle, or an intricately laid stone floor.

Not far from thence, a famous Castle fine, That Raglan hight, stands moted almost round:

Made of Freestone, upright as straight as line, Whose workmanship, in beautie doth abound.

The curious knots, wrongth all with edged toole, The stately Tower, that lookes ore Pond and Poole:

The Founatine trim, that runs both day and night, Doth yeeld in showe, a rare and noble sight.

Thomas Chuchyard, The Worthines of Wales (1587)

The stairways give a sense of hidden passages and when you make the climb you are rewarded with a stunning view.   While narrow and spiral, the stairway in the Great Tower has been modified for safety with more level steps and handrails.

Raglan Castle is an excellent example of a storybook castle standing high above the countryside.  Not surrounded by modern or industrial buildings, it feels as though the country side has been the same for over 500 years.

My day at Raglan Castle was perfect.   The skies changed frequently and rapidly during my visit and although it was windy we stayed dry.   Luckily for me it was cold enough to rock my Chelsea FC bobble hat.  GO BLUES!

But on a more serious note, Raglan Castle is truly amazing.  I do wish the castle would’ve been better preserved a long time ago.   Thankfully, it is now under the protection of Cadw, the historic environment agency of the Welsh Assembly Government.

I cannot but regret whenever I view this grand relict of baronial magnificence that it has been so long neglected and uninhabited.

Sir Richard Colt Hoare, Journeys … through England and Wales, 1793-1810

The admission fee for Raglan Castle is listed below.  But if you are planning a visit to Wales and planning on visiting several castle and historic site, you may want to consider the Explorer Pass.  The Pass is good at over 25 locations will save you a considerable amount of money.  For more information on how to get the Explorer Pass visit CADW – Explorer Pass.