Great Castle House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Great Castle House |
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Great Castle House
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| General information | |
| Address | Castle Hill |
| Town or city | Monmouth |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°48′46″N 2°42′59″W / 51.8127°N 2.7164°W |
| Current tenants | Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers and Regimental Museum |
| Completed | 1673 |
| Client | Henry Somerset, the 3rd Marquis of Worcester |
| Designations | Grade I listed |
Great Castle House is a really old and important building in Monmouth, Wales. It was built right where part of Monmouth Castle used to be! This house is super special because it's listed as a Grade I building. This means it's one of the most important historic places in the country. It's also one of 24 cool spots you can visit on the Monmouth Heritage Trail. You can find it on Castle Hill, close to the town centre.
Contents
History of Great Castle House
This amazing house was finished in 1673. It was built for Henry Somerset, who was known as the 3rd Marquis of Worcester. He was a very important person at the time. He was in charge of the Council of Wales and the Marches, which was a big government group. He needed a grand place in Wales to show his importance. It was mostly used for official meetings and ceremonies, not just for living in. We don't know who the architect was, but they did a great job!
The house is made from pink and grey stone. This stone probably came from the old castle gatehouse and tower. These parts of the castle were taken down after the English Civil War. The remains of the old castle can still be seen in the courtyard in front of the house.
Building Design and Features
The front of the house looks very balanced and fancy. It has a beautiful, decorated doorway. The two parts on the sides were added later, in the 1800s. Inside, the house is "astonishing," especially the fancy plasterwork on the ceilings. On the first floor, there's a huge room with very decorated ceilings. This room used to be five smaller rooms. Later, it was combined to become the main courtroom.
The plasterwork was made by skilled craftspeople who traveled around. They used common designs but made them look very grand. They added hanging flower decorations with ribbons. These were in the Marquis's private rooms.
Changes Over Time
Soon after building Great Castle House, Henry Somerset became the Duke of Beaufort. He then needed even bigger houses. He moved to Troy House and later to Badminton House. Great Castle House was then changed to be used as a court. This was called an Assize Court.
In 1725, the court moved to the new Shire Hall. After that, Great Castle House became a place for judges to stay. Part of it was even rented out to someone who made drainage pipes! Later, the judges found other places to stay. From about 1760, the house became a fancy school for young ladies.
Castle and Regimental Museum
In 1853, Great Castle House became the main office for the Militia Regiment. This group is now called the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers. They are the oldest regiment in the Reserve Army. Most of the building is still used as their headquarters.
However, part of the house now has the Castle and Regimental Museum. This museum opened in 1989. It is open in the afternoon during the summer. The museum opens onto the King's Garden. This garden has plants that were known to grow during the time of Henry V. He was born in the castle from 1386 to 1422.
The museum shows many interesting things. These include:
- Items and special clothes from the regiment.
- Information about the important Dukes of Beaufort.
- Details about the old defenses of Monmouth and its castle.
- Information about HMS Monmouth, a ship.
- Stories about the regiment's military actions from when it started until today.
Gallery
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Great Castle House
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Great Castle House in 1959
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Russian Fortress Gun outside the museum
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Looking along the barrel of the Russian Fortress Gun
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Military Bulldozer
