Montgomery Castle: Story behind Wales' most fought-over castle

Today all that remains of Montgomery Castle is its crumbling towers and low walls

Montgomery Castle may not be the oldest or biggest in Wales and it certainly isn't the best preserved.

Instead its claim to fame is being the most fought-over in Welsh history.

The ruined castle in Powys has changed hands more than any other following battles between the Welsh and English, Royalists and Parliamentarians.

This year marks 800 years since it was first built under the order of Henry III in response to the growing power of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth.

One of William the Conqueror's soldiers, Roger de Montgomery, first established a stronghold a mile to the west on the site of a Roman fort known locally as Hen Domen in 1067, just a year after the Norman invasion.

Professor of Medieval history at Swansea University, Daniel Power, said by the 13th Century Hen Domen had simply become indefensible.

"In the earliest days of the Norman invasion the Marcher castles along Wales' eastern borders were primarily about containment, about keeping the Welsh out of England," he said.

"However by the 13th Century the English royal policy had become more interventionalist, and making big statements to face down the Welsh."

Montgomery Castle - here as a model of how it originally appeared - looks over the Wales/England border

He said during its construction Montgomery was subject to frequent attacks.

"It wasn't necessarily the most advantageous position on which to build a castle, but it did send a message out across the River Severn," he said.

He said it was painted in whitewash "so everyone could see it" and "it held a commanding position" of the joining of three routes to Shrewsbury "a major trading town at that time".

• Powys farmer's daughter's journey to castle-dwelling aristocrat

• Cardiff Castle animal wall comes alive in children's book

Montgomery Castle was the base from which Henry III and Llywelyn ap Gruffydd made a peace treaty in 1267, whereby Llewelyn agreed to pay homage to Henry in return for being recognised as the first Prince of All Wales.

Though the peace wouldn't last long, as just 15 years later soldiers from Montgomery Castle helped Henry III's son, Edward I, conquer Wales in 1282.

The castle walls were destroyed after the second civil war

Just over a century later Owain Glyndwr captured it for the Welsh, marrying his daughter to Sir Edmund Mortimer.

He chose not to occupy the castle, instead putting it out of English use by damaging the walls so badly that they'd be difficult to defend again.

David Thomas, curator of the Old Bell Museum in the town, said it was a habit which has repeated itself over the years.

"Montgomery Castle was once a key point in the first English Civil War, sight of the largest civil war battle on Welsh soil," he said.

"But after the second Civil War in 1649 the castle walls were destroyed so that they could never be used again in a military conflict."

He said they have excavated parts of the castle's grounds and the well and have found "helmets, scissors, billhooks and all manner of pottery dating from medieval times to the civil wars".

Montgomery Castle was a private residence until 1655 but fell into ruin soon after.

Its legend has given hope to Hungarian nationalists over the years, and its grounds have been used for public celebrations, including the 1918 Armistice party

Today all that remains of the castle is its crumbling towers and low walls.

But as Cadw, which works to protect Wales' historic buildings, says - although is may be in ruin, it retains a powerful atmosphere and presence that transcend its state of preservation.