History
The first castle, still timber, was likely built in the 1190s by the Clifford family’s ancestor, Richard Fitz Pons, during the Anglo-Norman conquest of the border regions of Wales. It may have been built on the site of an older Welsh seat of a local ruler, as suggested by the castle’s name, which refers to the manor (Welsh: llys) of a certain Brwyn. Situated between the Llynfi and Dulas rivers, the castle was well-positioned to control local trade routes and secure the newly conquered lands. However, it never became the main residence of the owners of Bronllys, as after Walter’s marriage to Margaret de Tosny, his family acquired the more important Clifford estates.
The first reconstruction or extension of the castle was begun around 1165 by Walter de Clifford. This information has been preserved because a fire ignited during the work caused part of the stone structure to collapse, killing the lord’s youngest son, Mahel, Lord of Brecon. This suggests an intention to build a stone structure, but work on it was either abandoned due to an accident or it was completely demolished during subsequent alterations. The castle underwent further expansion in the 1230s, when a stone keep was erected. It was funded by Walter’s grandson, Walter III de Clifford, who commanded over a hundred men-at-arms at the castle in 1233, during negotiations with the Welsh ruler Llywelyn ab Iorwerth at Bronllys.
In the second half of the 13th century, the castle passed from the Cliffords to the Giffard family, and after 1322, when it was seized by King Edward II, it ultimately passed to the powerful de Bohun family, Earls of Hereford. In 1399, King Henry IV took possession of the entire de Bohun estate, while the castle was fortified against the forces of Owain Glyndŵr’s Welsh rebels, during the first years of rebellion in the early 15th century. After that, it never again participated in military operations, and by the end of the 16th century, under the ownership of the Stafford family, it had completely lost its importance. In 1521, it was recorded that the castle was in a state of decay and fit only for use as a prison. Subsequent owners, the Vaughan and Cecil of Alltyrynis families, did not invest in any repairs, and the castle fell into complete ruin by the end of the 16th century.
Architecture
The original castle was an earth and timber motte structure, situated on the western bank of the River Llynfi, near its confluence with the River Dulas in the south. To the south and east, it was protected by steep slopes descending into the valley, while to the northwest, relatively flat terrain faced the settlement with St. Mary’s Church. The castle initially consisted of an earth mound, upon which the main residential and defensive structure was erected, as well as two outer wards: a triangular inner bailey extending 60 meters to the north, and a larger outer bailey situated even further north.
During the replacement of the timber fortifications with stone, a cylindrical keep, 9.8 meters in diameter and approximately 16 meters high, was erected on the southern promontory. It was constructed of rubble and narrow slabs, carefully laid in relatively even layers. The access to the tower led through the bailey grounds, along wooden external stairs, and through a chamfered, pointed portal and a door to the first floor, located at a height of 4 meters. The entrance was located just above the batter, which widened the lower part of the tower and was topped by a circumferential shaft. Above, the tower wall extended vertically to a parapet in the crown, beyond which lay the circumferential wall-walk or an unroofed defensive gallery, protected by battlements with slits in the merlons, arranged around the conical roof of the top floor.
The interior of the second, entrance floor was a circular hall, 5.2 meters in diameter, lit by two windows with side seats. Initially, like the other floors, it was covered by a wooden ceiling. Access to the lowest floor was provided by stairs from the window niche, but the last 3 meters had to be climbed by a ladder. It was a dark room, lit only by a single slit opening, likely serving as a pantry or prison cell. Initially, it was covered with a wooden ceiling, replaced in the mid-14th century with a stone dome vault. A staircase, set into the thick wall, led to the stately third floor. Its flight begane and ended in window recesses. Since the 14th century, this floor was heated by a south-facing fireplace and was lit by two windows. The fourth floor was occupied by the lord’s private living chamber. It was thoroughly rebuilt in the 14th century, when three cinquefoil windows were inserted, flanked by stone seats in the recesses, a north-facing fireplace and a latrine, accessible via a passage in the thickness of the wall.
Within the inner bailey, the castle housed a rectangular, stone-built, at least three-story great hall. This building was topped with a parapet supported by corbels projecting from the wall face, and likely also with battlements. A shallow projection may have projected from one of the longer façades, extending into a turret higher than the main building block. The interior likely featured a layout similar to other structures of this type, with the ground floor designated for storage and a pantry, and the upper floor the actual ceremonial hall.
Current state
To this day, the castle retains a 13th-century cylindrical keep, almost with full height, situated on the earthen mound of the original late 11th-century castle. The tower now reaches about halfway up the highest storey, rebuilt in the 14th century. Remnants of the rectangular building in the outer bailey are likely incorporated into the modern structure that now stands there. The castle is under the care of Cadw, the Welsh government’s arm responsible for heritage conservation. It is open to visitors each year from April to October.
bibliography:
Clark G.T., Brynllys Castle and Church, “Archaeologia Cambrensis”, Vol. 59/1904.
Haslam R., The buildings of Wales. Powys (Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Breconshire), London 1979.
Kenyon J., The medieval castles of Wales, Cardiff 2010.
Lindsay E., The castles of Wales, London 1998.
Pettifer A., Welsh castles, Woodbridge 2000.
Renn D.F., The Round Keeps of the Brecon Region, “Archaeologica Cambrensis”, 110/1961.
Salter M., The castles of Mid Wales, Malvern 2001.