Six weapons of war in castles in the Welsh Marches

At Caerphilly Castle
   As far as I know Caerphilly wins the body count with 4 Medieval siege machines in its grounds (to the left as you enter.)
  The trebuchet is probably the best known and many parents will have helped their child construct one out of the inside of loo rolls as a school project. Although the machine started off as a traction engine with men pulling at it (15 to 45 were needed), it later became what is known as a counterweight or counterpoise trebuchet, capable of flinging projectiles of up to 90kg or even more about 300 metres and its use continued well after the introduction of gunpowder.
   This later version has a gravity-powered lever using potential energy so that when the weight box falls, the throwing arm (4 to 6 times the length of the counterweight portion) hurls the object contained in the sling over the castle walls. It could fire a stone every 15 seconds but sometimes plague-ridden corpses were thrown - an early act of biological warfare. Even after it fell into general disuse, it was employed when cannon had too short a range and, I am delighted to relate, there are pumpkin chunking [sic] competitions in the USA which keep it going.
   The mangonel was a type of catapult with poorer accuracy than the later trebuchet and with a lower trajectory and higher velocity. It was used to destroy the walls of a castle rather than hurl objects over them and the items used might be rocks or firepots (vessels filled with burning material to create a fireball) but, when they were employed to send something over, that could be a human or animal carcass or head, probably diseased. This was very effective as conditions inside were cramped, with poor hygiene, shortage of food and crawling with vermin, ideal for the spreading of epidemics. It needed about 20 men pulling on ropes attached to the counterweight and its effectiveness depended largely on those troops being well-trained. No-one wants a bovine head ricocheting!
   The ballista was a highly accurate missile weapon, mentioned in the Bible circa 783-742 BC. It shot darts or spherical stones and assisted the Greeks in warfare and later the Romans in their conquest of Europe. After the time of Julius Caesar, the ballista became a permanent feature of the Roman army, being constantly modified to improve performance usually as an anti-personnel weapon.The largest in the 4th century could fire a dart more than 1200 yards (1,100 metres). It gave way to the trebuchet and mangonel in the Middle Ages and to the cross-bow as a sniper weapon: armies needed machines which were simple and cheap to make and easy to maintain - the ballista needed anointing.
   The perrier (sometimes called a traction trebuchet) had its origins in Ancient China where it needed 6 men in the crew and had a range of 110 metres, a projectile weight of 5 kilos and did damage to walls or attackers. The one in Caerphilly Castle was fired for a TV programme by Dan Snow when it was - as we can see on YouTube - innocuous. It was a counterpoise machine which propelled objects from a sling as did the trebuchet but the perrier was lighter and more transportable than other throwing engines and its use spread to the west during the Crusader wars of the 12th century.

Goodrich Castle - Roaring Meg
   This nifty but powerful little number was built especially for the siege of Goodrich Castle during the Civil War. Colonel Birch ordered the mortar to be made, probably by a local manufacturer near Lydbrook, Howbrook furnace. in 1646. The owner, John Browne supplied the Parliamentarians with arms.
   It has a 15.5 inch barrel diameter, could fire a 2cwt hollow ball filled with gunpowder and was instrumental in the capture of Goodrich Castle by Sir Thomas Fairfax. It is reported that Colonel Birch was so over-excited by this new implement that he insisted on firing the last 19 balls himself. (You can see a pile of cannon balls nearby.) The gun was then taken to Raglan Castle where it was effective in bringing about a bloodless truce.
   In modern times the gun has received homage in Monty Python in a scurrilous joke which I blush to repeat and will hide further down below the links so that the onus is on you not to look!

Caldicot Castle: Nelson's gun

   Just as you go into Caldicot Castle, you pass a gun from Nelson's flagship, HMS Foudroyant, which my schoolgirl French tells me means "blaster" or "thunderer". Designed by Sir John Henslow and constructed in Plymouth, she was launched on 31st March 1798, one of only 2 British-built 80-gun ships of the period, (the other being HMS Caesar). She was Nelson's flagship from 6 June 1799 to the end of June 1801 but it cannot be boasted that she took part in any major fleet action. After serving 17 useful years she became a boys' training vessel.
   Under Nelson, in 1799,  she was involved in attempts to return the Neapolitan royal family to Naples and it was there that Nelson began his affair with Emma, Lady Hamilton. The Neapolitan king and queen later boarded her as well as the Hamiltons. There was some involvement against 2 French ships during the Napoleonic Wars.
   After her period as a gunnery training vessel from 1862-1884, she was placed on the Sales List in 1891 and went for £2,350 to J. Read of Portsmouth who resold her to German shipbreakers. This caused public protest and Wheatley Cobb bought her as a training vessel for boys. The restoration cost £20,000 and the money had to be found somehow.
   HMS Foudroyant was therefore taken on tour to be exhibited at British seaside resorts and was being towed to Blackpool in June 1897 when a huge storm blew her ashore, damaging the North Pier and needing the lifeboat to rescue all 27 men aboard. It was impossible to refloat her and so the guns were removed and the wreck sold for £200. December gales caused further final damage and local craftsmen used the flotsam to make furniture and wood panelling: the bell is in Blackpool Town Hall and a gun here in Caldicot.

You can see all these machines by visiting the castles by bus but, unfortunately, they will not let you fire them for fun unless you happen to be Dan Snow. Details of transport are given on the blog articles for each castle: Caerphilly Castle, Goodrich Castle and Caldicot Castle. Raglan Castle is also worth a detour.

Monty Python joke: "The whole garrison banged roaring Meg and shot their balls into the French." I did warn you - and now that you have taken a naughty peek you do not deserve any CAKE.

Cardiff Castle: central and fascinating

First impressions
   As you enter Cardiff Castle you will be struck by a huge 40 feet high Norman motte (the largest in Wales) topped by a keep ahead of you and an impressive Victorian Gothic Revival mansion to your left. There are hidden Roman remains to be visited later and this large open area was once split in two -so all is not as it first seems. Part of the original dividing wall can be seen in this grassy space.
   The castle is conveniently situated for modern visitors near the city centre and the site must have appealed to invaders with very different motives during the last 2000 or so years.
   Local materials were used to build the walls: blocks of blue lias limestone and large boulders, the latter probably taken from the bed of the River Taff.

Roman occupation
   It would have been the easy access to the sea for transport of supplies that attracted the Romans at the end of the 50's, intent on holding down the warlike Silures and accustoming them to Roman supremacy. In time the troublesome tribesmen found advantages in adapting: improved trade and communication; efficient administration including justice - and the possibility of Roman citizenship. Pirates were also a perceived threat, the snag in being close to the sea.
   Excavations in the 1970's found evidence of 4 forts, three earlier wooden versions and a fourth stone structure which later fell into disuse. It had been the 3rd Marquess of Bute who, deciding to build a new tower on the east, started the digging process in 1888 during which remains of Roman stonework were discovered that had hitherto been unknown. He had these remains exposed and then reconstructed in a manner thought to be authentic at that time with the addition of a gallery for exercise in bad weather. (During World War II, these wall galleries were used as air-raid shelters for up to 2000 people caught out by the siren whilst shopping.)

The Normans
   William the Conqueror founded this castle in 1081 to establish his rule over the stroppy inhabitants of south-east Wales. Robert Fitzhamon became Earl of Gloucester and Lord of Glamorgan and erected many early defences including the motte and a wooden keep on top. During the 12th century these were replaced by stone and the castle changed hands many times: owners included the de Clares, the infamous Despensers and the Beauchamps.

The remains of the Norman dividing wall

   The 12-sided keep, originally surrounded by a moat, is of a structure known as a shell as it once contained other buildings. Despite its height and strength, it was raided in 1158 by the Welsh leader Ifor Bach who abducted the Earl, his wife and son, holding them to ransom until he received back his rightful land. Other threats were posed by Llewelyn ap Gruffudd and Llewelyn Bren. The castle was stormed and damaged in 1404 by Owain Glyndwr during the uprising which unsettled the whole of this area.
    Fascinatingly, Robert Curthose ('short-arse') eldest son of the Conqueror was held prisoner (after a failed rebellion to seize the crown) by his younger brother Henry I  and languished here for many years until his death in 1134. You can spot a small painting of him in the Banqueting Hall. Three executions were those of Sir William Fleminge, made a scapegoat by Hugh Despenser the younger; Llewelyn Bren who was condemned to be hanged, drawn and quartered by Hugh, and the heretic Thomas Capper, burnt on the orders of Henry VIII. The Black Tower was used a a prison during the 16th century.
    Castles as fortifications only were becoming less popular by the 14th and 15th centuries and the  owner of Cardiff Castle, Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, built a convenient and comfortable mansion for himself, starting in 1423, on the west side: this contained a Great Hall and family accommodation. Later, the 2nd Earl of Pembroke repaired and modernised the rooms, the keep and the Black Tower as well as adding a tower, a private garden called the Lord's Plaisance and a rather sedate-looking Ladies' Walk.

The Butes
   They were an ancient family who traced their roots back to Scottish kings and, in the period that concerns us, made a vast fortune from coal mined on their estates. They spent huge sums on the castle, completely transforming it by redoing the mansion, adding new Gothic-style wings and employing Henry Holland with 'Capability' Brown to landscape the gardens. He knocked down ancient walls, the medieval chapel and the Shire Hall. Judge for yourself.

The 3rd Marquess of Bute and William Burges.
   An unusual friendship was struck between the young 3rd Marquess, who had been dubbed 'the richest baby in Britain' and the older architect: devoted to the Middle Ages, they created together a unique mansion, elaborately and sometimes humorously decorated with an animal theme throughout. "Billy" Burges (1827-81) was short, stout, vibrant and gifted. He started with the Clock Tower and proceeded to redesign the entire building, paying minute attention to every detail of ornamentation and employing local craftsmen. The result has been termed: "the most magnificent that the gothic revival ever achieved." You can see bedrooms, the library, the Winter Smoking Room, the Banqueting Hall, the Arab Room, the Day Nursery and so on. Animals include bronze beavers, parrots, rabbits, a crocodile, the faithful dog Gelert, and imagined creatures as well as a bestiary on the wall outside. Of all the many wonders within, I find the stained glass on a sunny day the most alluring.

Finally
   After the death of the 4th Marquess and the payment of enormous death duties earlier, the Bute family made the generous decision to gift this colourful and extraordinary castle with most of its park to the City of Cardiff in 1947.  There is also the Firing Line Regimental Museum to complete your stay. In all, the Castle is a fascinating place to visit although one may be critical of previous demolitions - console yourself with the thought that you can see historical development caught and preserved in front of you.  Console yourself also with the marvellous CAKES in the café, all locally made and particularly splendid on Tuesdays. They are proud that the delicacies range from Welsh cakes to Danish pastries thus showing a cosmopolitan range. The shop sells lovely recycled wool throws: the calories I had consumed in lemon drizzle gave me the inspiration to buy one and I am wrapped in it right now!

Cardiff is easy to reach by bus and is a lively, safe-feeling city with many other attractions. You are not far from Caerphilly Castle which is magnificently imposing and a little further away are Chepstow Castle and Raglan Castle as well as the Roman remains at Caerleon.
 For opening times at Cardiff Castle click here.

Matilda of Flanders - wife of William the Conqueror

Who was she?
   Matilda was high-born compared to William the Bastard and initially refused to marry him for that reason. The niece and granddaughter of Kings of France and descended from the Anglo-Saxon royal House of Wessex, she probably considered herself much superior to the illegitimate son of a lowly woman, Herleva, even though his father was a duke. The marriage also breached the rules of consanguinity, which were quite strict at the time, and required a dispensation from the Pope, Leo IX. She may also have previously been in love with Brictric, a great and charming thegn from England, who snubbed her offer of marriage.

   Stories of how William overcame her resistance vary and may be fictitious. Yet a common element is that he rode to where she was, (possibly to Bruges or to her father's house in Lille) pulled her about by her braids and battered her. Her father, Count Baldwin V, wanted to fight for her honour but she declared she would marry no-one but this ardent and violent pursuer. He was about 23 and she 20ish at the most.
  Much has been made of her short stature (because he was tall by contrast) as certain estimates put her height at about 4ft 2" but others at nearer 5ft. These measurement were taken when her skeleton was examined on different occasions and it may not have been complete. Certainly she was seen as diminutive, beautiful - and funky!

Her successes
   She bore William 9 or 10 children of whom 2 became kings: William II and Henry I. There is no record of illegitimate offspring born to William and amateur psychology suggests that the stain of bastardy and love for her kept him faithful. Certainly he had delivered terrible revenge on the town of Alencon for a jibe at his unmarried mother's family trade as skinners and tanners: he cut off the hands and feet of 32 men in public.
   Matilda contributed to the success of the Norman invasion by kitting out a ship, the Mora, mentioned at the end of the Ship List, and embellishing the prow with a figure of a small gilded boy holding a horn to his lips with one hand and pointing with the other towards England. (A similar image appears on the Bayeux Tapestry, once believed to be her project but now thought to be that of Bishop Odo of Bayeux.) This speedy vessel raced ahead of the others and caused panic on board but William calmly sat down to a huge breakfast washed down with spiced wine whilst waiting for the rest of his navy to come into view.
   They spent much of their marriage apart (but the number of children suggests they made good use of their time together!) and he showed his faith in her acumen and judgement by appointing her regent in Normandy, assisted by Roger of Montgomery, when he had to be absent in England to conquer us (and impose the French subjunctive) and to keep order once he had won at Hastings. This was a a role of considerable legal significance and she carried it out with aplomb: all ran smoothly under her control of what her husband had termed "a turbulent people, always ready to cause disturbances."

   A triumphal feasting was held at Fécamp's old monastery to celebrate William's victory at which the couple wore "splendid garments, interwoven and encrusted with gold" but the greatest ceremony for Matilda was her coronation as Queen of England on May 11th 1068. William's had been marred by a misunderstanding of the shouts from within Westminster Abbey and the consequent burning of nearby properties but hers was a success despite her lukewarm welcome in the kingdom. She was led into the Abbey, prostrated herself as a symbolic start of a new life, was anointed with holy oil, received a ring as emblem of her "marriage" to the state and was crowned. (Charters issued at the time reveal English and Norman names but, by 1086, a similar list is entirely French.) Three new phrases were incorporated to emphasise the importance of consorts. After that there were frequent grand occasions of "crown-wearings", propaganda for the new monarchy with Matilda styled as "regina."
  The education of her children, including the daughters, must be counted as one of her major successes. This task was undertaken thoroughly and with great seriousness. She and William ensured that the boys received the upbringing suitable for aristocratic males with riding, hunting, political theory and military training but both sexes were taught the "liberal arts" of reading and some Latin along with religious instruction: writing was sometimes neglected and Matilda herself signed with a flourished mark. Cecilia, who became a nun, was instructed by Arnulf of Chocques to extend her learning to understand rhetoric and logic. Adela also was a noted learned lady and contemporary references to the girls are few but all complimentary. The boys were tutored by Lanfranc who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1070.

The downside
   Perhaps the most notable difficulty of her marriage was their difference of opinion over their eldest son, Robert Curthose (Short-Arse) which developed into deep trouble. According to Orderic Vitalis he was "talkative and extravagant, reckless, very courageous in battle, a powerful and sure archer with a clear, cheerful voice and a fluent tongue. Round-faced, short and stout, he was commonly nick-named 'fat-legs' and 'shorty-pants.'" Lovable to a mother! He may have formed part of the council to help Matilda as regent but he later became rivalrous: he led a rebellion and Matilda supplied him secretly with large sums of silver and gold to pursue this hostility. Her support for her son against her husband was shocking behaviour at that time and William was furious when he found out: she was never appointed regent again. A contemporary chronicler recorded her words of love and "tender affection" for her first-born which may have caused friction with William Rufus and Henry. Yet she refused William's instructions to stop sending him money and was not punished for her defiance: he must have loved her truly.
   As regent, she used her power to gain revenge over the man who had spurned her twenty years earlier. She ordered the seizure of Brictric's manor of Tewkesbury and deprived his town of Gloucester of its charter. Finally she had him imprisoned at Winchester where he died 2 years later.
  Although her endowments of religious institutions seem in her favour, some of her generosity towards them is somewhat suspect. She gave abundantly to La Trinité, which she had founded after the Pope had agreed to her marriage, but many of the foodstuffs came from England: in all her gifts were worth £650,000 in modern terms. Also she demanded treasure from Abingdon and then complained it was inadequate.
   There was a superstitious side to her character: there were rumours that she sent gifts to a hermit in Germany who then had a dream presaging ill fortune for Normandy. A happier forecast was that for the baby daughter of Queen Margaret of Scotland, who pulled Matilda's veil down over herself at her christening, an omen later interpreted as a royal future for the child.
 
Death and legacy

    Her health must have deteriorated after July 1083 as, after a life of travelling, she never left Caen where she had helped a superficial reconciliation between her husband and eldest son. She died on 2nd November 1083. Opinions differ as to the date and cause of her illness but she probably drew up her Will in 1082: it is a rather impersonal document with bequests to La Trinité but includes, oddly amongst the expected finery, all a horse's accoutrements. These may have helped the Abbess on her travels but may have symbolised Matilda's peripatetic life. William organised a "most splendid funeral" at the abbey (contrasted again with the grotesque happening at his own when his corpse burst) and a beautiful monument with epitaph was erected which can still be seen at Caen. Later the "marriage" ring was found on her finger.
    After her death William mourned but became more tyrannical which suggests that, overall, she had been a softening influence. She established a model for female rule which made it easier for women to be appointed regent and use their power generally. Her bloodline extends to the present day in our monarchical family tree.

Relevance
   Wherever you ride on buses in Monmouthshire, you see through the window territory that William controlled - with some difficulty, appointing Marcher lords to subdue the hostile inhabitants. Behind him was Matilda, supporting him throughout, apart from the quarrel with Robert. Perhaps Chepstow Castle is the most obvious site, built by William fitzOsbern and added to by the Conqueror. Cherchez la femme!

My post on Chepstow Castle has links to many other castles in the area and you can read the story of William fitzOsbern by clicking here. There are many excellent CAKE opportunities in Chepstow, including by the River Wye.

Caerphilly Castle: huge and imposing

Overall
  If the surrounding lakes are taken into account, Caerphilly Castle is the largest in Wales, second largest in Britain, and is stunning in its grandeur. Although guidebooks make much of its not being situated on a crag, it is sufficiently elevated from the town side to have overwhelmed me as I stepped off my bus.
   It was not built by or for a king but by "Red" Gilbert de Clare, a man of enormous wealth and fiery hair, hence the nickname (in the Middle Ages it did not do to have physical oddities or else you were liable to be called Curthose - short-arse - or Wry-neck.) It rose with amazing speed between 11th April 1268 and 1271 to counteract the political and military threat posed by Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd to the Marcher lords of South-East Wales, although its function as a fortress was relatively short-lived. The concentric design preceded and inspired that of the castles built by Edward I in North Wales. Although Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester, was only 25 when the castle was started, it was a huge and visionary undertaking. It was both the result and cause of strife in Glamorgan.

Design
   This concentricity was a development from earlier castles which had relied on a strong keep for their defence: attack strategies had caught up with that and, from the 12th century onwards, builders trusted instead to double circuits of high walls with even taller round towers thrusting outwards so that arrows could be shot right down to their base. These walls would have crenellations, arrow loops and, at Caerphilly, the main gatehouse is as large as a traditional keep. The idea of having 2 gatehouses was modern, the overhead space being used for the guard and for accommodation.
   The surrounding artificial lakes, which are much wider than a moat, were defensive because they made the castle very difficult to storm directly as it was impossible to bring siege engines close or to undermine the walls. The waters prevented a blind spot at the foot of the walls where attackers could remain hidden. It is thought that de Clare had noted the water defences at Kenilworth and applied similar here.

History

  De Clare was apparently headstrong and impetuous as a youth and initially supported Simon de Montfort in his struggle against King Henry III. De Montfort, in turn, was backed by Prince Llwyelyn ap Gruffudd. Gilbert then became disillusioned with that faction as the power of the Welsh Prince posed a threat to his massive interests in the Marches. He went over to Prince Edward, later Edward I, and fought with him at the Battle of Evesham in which de Montfort was defeated and savagely slaughtered. His supporters fled to Kenilworth where de Clare, attacking, encountered the defensive value of waterworks in a siege lasting from Easter to Christmas 1266. Edward, on becoming king, reacted with outrage to the failure of the Welsh Prince to obey 5 summonses to pay homage and drove him out of his possessions: his final defeat and death came in 1282.
   Caerphilly Castle could then become a more peaceful site as a centre of administration for the de Clares although there were further less serious troubles including a fine imposed on Gilbert of £6,666 by the king. A later revolt by Llewellyn Bren led to an attack by 10,000 men but the castle suffered only in having its gate and drawbridge damaged or burnt, although the town and its mills were destroyed. Gilbert's son, Gilbert who inherited, was killed at Bannockburn.
   The next main story is that of Hugh le Despenser the younger, a royal favourite, who married Eleanor, Earl Gilbert the Red's eldest daughter. Hated by almost everyone, he caused the surrendering Llewellyn Bren to be hanged, drawn and quartered, which led to a rebellion by powerful Marcher lords against him. He was banished but returned and used his influence over Edward II to amass huge wealth and power: it was at this time that he spent effort and money on the Great Hall at Caerphilly. Isabella of France, Edward's estranged queen, and her lover, Roger Mortimer, then landed in Suffolk and undermined the position of Hugh le Despenser. The king and Despenser sheltered at Caerphilly and left much of the royal treasure there when they moved on, both to barbarous deaths.
   Isabella's force besieged the castle and an inventory shows how well provided the fortress was: 800 lance shafts; 14 Danish axes; 1,130 crossbow bolts fitted with hedgehog quills; 118 quarters of wheat; 118 quarters of beans; 78 ox carcasses; 280 of mutton; 72 hams; 1,856 stockfish; 6 tuns of red wine and 1 white (though the clerk noted that 10 inches of the white were lacking!) In all £14,000 of treasure was found as well as nearly 600 silver vessels. Amongst the king's personal affairs was a black cap decorated with butterflies and pearls - how such details bring history to life! Later again, the castle fell into disrepair and was described by John Leland in 1539-ish as having "waulles of a wonderful thiknes." It became an attraction for seekers of the picturesque, being then restored to some extent by, most importantly, the 4th Marquis of Bute.

Main Features

   For the modern visitor, the general impression of the castle is one of immense power and grandeur and this extends to the Great Hall. In many castles, one has to imagine this amenity but here it is visible and redolent of the lavish entertainment for which it was built and restored.       We have already admired the lakes created by the damming of the Nant y Gledyr stream and have passed under the gateway where once our arrival would have been observed with suspicion by the guard. There are lots of little doorways and nooks to peer into and potter down, murder holes, arrow slits and portcullis grooves to notice but, before you leave and head for your large slice of CAKE, it is worth pausing to gaze at the leaning tower and inspect the 4 impressive replica Medieval siege weapons which include a trebuchet. This war machine is full-sized and has a 20 foot throwing arm which would hurl a 25 pound missile capable of smashing a wooden building in a bailey or crashing through a lead roof. In Caerphilly the missile would drop into the lake - but what a splash! The tower leans probably because of ground subsidence and has attained an angle of 10 degrees. Almost incredibly its outer face is undamaged and its features are original.

Your visit
  Caerphilly is well served by buses, including the frequent no 50 from Newport, Gwent.
To see opening times, click here.  Other castles of interest in South-East Wales include Chepstow Castle and Raglan Castle, whilst, for a sample of the type of entertainment that might be provided in the Great Hall, you could read my article on Roland le Pettour, the favourite jester of the second Henry. Your dog would love a walk in the parklands surrounding Caldicot Castle and could learn a good deal of useful history as it gambols. A little further afield is the impressive Goodrich Castle with excellent walking nearby.