Newcastle Castle Monmouthshire

Newcastle Castle Monmouthshire is a small motte and bailey castle which has been damaged on the north-eastern side by the construction of farm buildings, and is covered by trees. The round motte, about 5 meres high,  was probably once about 30 metres across at the base, with a summit about ten metres across, but perhaps a third of the footprint has been cleared away leaving the summit truncated – and a water tank had been erected on the summit when the site was scheduled. What survives of the bailey is crescent shaped and lies primarily to the western side of the motte – between the two is a well preserved ditch, and this ditch also extends from the southern side of the motte around the western side of the bailey until it too is truncated, but this time by a road. The scheduling report also states that there was an upcast bank around the bailey, but this is not visible on LIDAR imagery, and hedges hide the monument from the public road.

There is no history associated with this castle, but Monmouthshire was an early target for the Normans, and therefore it can be assumed that the castle was erected as part of the conquest of this area in the 11th century. It was therefore most likely founded under the aegis of William fitzOsbern, earl of Hereford, or his son Roger de Breteuil, and most likely was intended to complement a preconquest church of St Cadog. The lands were presumably held as part of the lordship of Monmouth by William fitzBaderon in 1086, although not described, and it is possible that they passed to his descendants as in the 14th century the lands were held by the Huntley family – and fitzBaderon and his descendants were lords of Huntley. However, in the absence of specific mentions or archaeological excavation, this little castle remains a mystery.