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Clyro Castle

On private land at junction of A4153 and B4351 Clyro,
1m NW of Hay-on-Wye, Powys, mid-Wales
SO 214436

Map link for Clyro Castle

Location map link for Clyro Castle

Above: the overgrown remains of still impressive Clyro Castle. The large motte can be
seen to the right of the photo, and the ditch surrounding the motte is visible at the bottom left.

Photographs copyright © 2002 by Jeffrey L. Thomas

Right: view of the outer ditch at Clyro Castle

 

South of a housing estate in a natural hillock which as been made into a large mound up to 40m across on the top with a surrounding ditch. There are buried footings of a polygonal curtain wall probably with a keep or gatehouse on the south side and internal buildings. The castle may have been founded as early as the 1070s as a twin to Hay-on-Wye across the river. At the time when Hay was being refortified in stone Clyro was probably abandoned as its lands had been granted by the princes of Elfael to Abbey Cwmhir. Clyro Castle was probably rebuilt after the Tosny family regained Elfael in 1276, although the first specific mention of the castle is not until the area was being ruled by the Beauchamps from Pain's Castle in 1397. Clyro was amongst the several castles fortified in 1403 against Owain Glyndwr but probably soon fell into decay afterwards.

Mike Salter, The Castles of Mid Wales, Folly Publications, 2001

 

Below: additional views of the motte at Clyro Castle

 

 

 

 

Below: view of the overgrown motte summit at Clyro Castle

 

Below: view of the entrance to the site from the adjacent housing complex

 


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Copyright © 2009 by Jeffrey L. Thomas