Caldicot Castle in Gwent (Monmouthshire) is often neglected in discussions of the Welsh castles. It is one of the few major castles not within the ambit of CADW (Welsh Historic Monuments) and perhaps this explains the low profile. Within Monmouthshire, however, the castle is much appreciated. The local authority does a great job in making it a valuable community resource. The thumbnails below are links to pictures of the very excellent Lion Rampant group, presenting a picture of medieval combat to a spellbound audience at the castle in June '03.

A Canadian knight recruiting.	The Griffin knight admonishing.	Contemplation before battle.

Caldicot Castle, apart from having a history dating back to Saxon times, forms the picturesque centrepiece of a beautiful country park. The keep is thought to have been built by Humphrey de Bohun soon after 1220 and the imposing gatehouse by Thomas of Woodstock in the 1380s. The castle was restored by a wealthy Victorian with an interest in British naval history and was the home of the Cobb family until the 1960s. 

The castle was designed to look quite forbidding from outside but is surprisingly pleasant once you enter. Caldicot could be called a castle within a castle. Once inside the main walls, a large lawn has the 13th century Norman round keep as its focus. It is thought that this miniature castle was itself built on the site of an earlier Saxon stronghold. 

For more information check >  www.caldicotcastle.co.uk

John Weston / Data Wales 2003