Castle Tump facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trecastle
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 Trecastle
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| OS grid reference | SN929291 |
| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Postcode district | LD3 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
Castle Tump (also known as Trecastle Motte) is an old castle mound in Trecastle, Powys, Wales. It's a special kind of castle called a "motte and bailey" castle. These castles were built a very long time ago, around the early 11th century. Castle Tump is one of the best examples of these old castles in the area!
Contents
A Look Back in Time
Building a Castle
Castle Tump was built a long time ago, in the early 11th century. It was created by the Normans, who were people from Normandy in France. A powerful Norman lord named Bernard de Neufmarche built it. He was actually the half-brother of William the Conqueror, a famous king who took over England.
Battles and Rebuilding
This castle didn't stay peaceful for long. Between 1121 and 1136, it's believed that Welsh fighters attacked and took over the castle. After being left empty for a short time, it might have been rebuilt in the 1150s by someone named Walter Clifford. Later, in 1295, King Edward I of England even spent three days in Trecastle. He was there to help calm down a local uprising.
What It Looked Like
Castle Tump is the biggest "motte and bailey" castle in the Brecon Beacons National Park (which is called Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog in Welsh).
A "motte and bailey" castle has two main parts:
- The motte is a big, tall mound of earth. At Castle Tump, this mound is about 6.6 meters (21 feet) high. The top of the motte is flat and measures about 24 meters by 16 meters.
- The bailey is a larger, flat area next to the motte. It was usually surrounded by a fence or wall. At Castle Tump, the bailey is to the southwest of the motte and measures about 56 meters by 40 meters.
Originally, both the motte and the bailey were surrounded by ditches. These ditches made it harder for enemies to attack. However, there aren't many stone parts left at Castle Tump. This suggests that the castle wasn't used as an important stronghold after the 12th or 13th century.
Castle Tump Today
Even though it's very old, Castle Tump is still the best-preserved motte and bailey castle in the area of Brecknockshire. The oval-shaped mound is covered in trees and stands out at the east end of the village.
How the Village Got Its Name
The village of Trecastle gets its name directly from this old motte and bailey castle! Its original name was 'una villa nostra de Lliwel'. Even today, Llywel is the name of the nearby hamlet, local church area, and voting district. However, by the end of the Middle Ages, people started calling the area Trecastle. This name means "the town of the castle," which makes perfect sense!
