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Denbigh Castle
Denbigh Castle is in Denbigh Castle and Town Walls.
Denbigh Castle located high on the ridge over-looking the town and the Clywd valley.
Chronicle of William Rishanger. [1277].Furthermore, besides these things, the Prince [Llewellyn "Last" Aberffraw (age 44)] will reconcile with his brothers, whom he had wronged. For he had three brothers, two of whom, Owen (age 45) and Rhodri (age 47), he had imprisoned; the third, David, having fled, stayed for many years with the King of England. By the King, and against the custom of his people, he was made a knight. In that war, due to his bravery and loyalty, he became highly esteemed by the King. As a result, the King granted him the castle of Denbigh in Wales, along with lands worth one thousand pounds in annual revenue; moreover, he gave him a wife [Elizabeth Ferrers (age 37)], the daughter of the Earl of Derby, who had recently been widowed by another man [William Marshal]. Owen, then, through royal favor, was freed from the prison which he had recently broken. Rhodri, however, fled from his brother and resided in England. The King, moreover, built a significant castle at Aberystwyth [Map]1 in Western Wales, to suppress the raids of the Welsh.
Item, præter hæc, Princeps fratres suos, quos læsit, placabit. Habuit enim tres fratres, quorum duos, Owenum et Rodericum, posuerat in carcere; tertius vero, David, fuga dilapsus, multis annis cum Rege Angliæ stetit; a quo, contra morem gentis suæ, miles factus, in ista guerra, ob probitatem et fidelitatem suam, plurimum erat Regi acceptus: unde et eidem castrum de Dimby contulit in Wallia, cum terris ad valorem mille librarum annui redditus; insuper et uxorem dedit, filiam Comitis Derbeyæ, quæ nuper alio viro fuerat viduata. Owenus ergo favore regio libera- tur a carcere, quem fregerat paulo ante. Rodericus vero, fratrem fugiens, in Anglia morabatur. Rex autem in Occidentali Wallia apud Lampader Vaur, ad cohibendum irruptiones Wallensium, castrum construxit insigne.
Note 1. "Lampader Vaur" i.e. "Llanbadarn Fawr" from which Aberystwyth took its name.
On 25 Dec 1281 Alice Lacy Countess Leicester, and Lancaster 5th Countess of Salisbury 5th Countess Lincoln was born to Henry Lacy 4th Earl Lincoln, Earl Salisbury (age 30) and Margaret Longespée 4th Countess of Salisbury and Lincoln at Denbigh Castle. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
After 1282 Edmund de Lacy (age 11) drowned in the Well [Map] at Denbigh Castle. The date based on his father havbing been granted the Lordship of Denbigh in 1282.
In 1454 Roger Kynaston of Myddle and Hordley (age 21) was appointed Constable of Denbigh Castle.
Chronicle of Gregory 1460. 1460. And that same nyght the King remevyde unto London a-gayne his wylle, to the byschoppe is palys of London, and the Duke of Yorke (age 48) com unto him that same nyght by the torchelyght and toke a-pon him as kyng, and said in many placys that this is owrys by very ryght. Ande then the quene (age 29) hyrynge this she voydyde unto Walys, but she was met with be-syde the Castelle of Malepas [Map], and a servand of her owne that she hadde made bothe yeman and gentylman, and aftyr a-poyntyd for to be in offysce with her son the prynce, spoylyde her and robbyde hyr, and put her soo in dowt of her lyffe and sonys lyffe also. And then she com to the Castelle of Hardelowe [Probably Denbigh Castle, Possibly Hawarden, Flintshire] in Walys, and she hadde many grete gyftys and gretely comfortyd, for she hadde nede there of, for she hadde a full esy many a-boute hyr, the nombyr of iiij personnys. And moste comynly she rode by-hynde a yonge poore gentylle-man of xiiij year age, his name was Jon Combe, i-borne at Amysbery [Map] in Wyltschyre. And there hens she remevyd full prevely unto the Lord Jesper, lord and Erle of Penbroke (age 28), for she durste not a byde in noo place that [was] a opyn but in pryvatt. The cause was that conter fete tokyns were sende unto her as thoughe that they hadde come from her moste dradde lord the Kyng Harry the VI; but it was not of his sendyng, nothyr of [his] a doynge, but forgyd thyngys, for they that brought the tokyns were of the kyngys howse, and some of the pryncys howse, and some of her owne howse, and bade her beware of the tokyns, that she gave noo credans there too; for at the kyngys departynge fro Covyntre towarde the fylde of Northehampton, he kyste her and blessyd the prynce, and commaundyd her that she shulde not com unto him tylle that [he] a sende a specyalle tokyn unto her that no man knew but the King and she. For the lordys wolde fayne hadde her unto Lundon, for they knew welle that alle the workyngys that were done growe by hyr, for she was more wyttyer then the King, and that apperythe by his dedys, &c.
Around 1545 Richard Middleton was born to Richard Myddelton (age 36) and Jane Dryhurst (age 20) at Denbigh Castle.
In 1563 Humphrey Llwyd aka Lluyd (age 36) lived at Denbigh Castle by permission of Sir John Salusbury (age 44) [Note. Some sources say Richard Myddelton (age 54)] who was then the Lord of the Manor of Denbigh.
Around 1563 Robert Myddelton was born to Richard Myddelton (age 54) and Jane Dryhurst (age 38) at Denbigh Castle where his father was governor. He was their seventh son.
Archaeologia Cambrensis 1820 Page 464. Sept. 24. "Being Wednesday, the King's forces were routed by the Parlm army in a place called Rowton Moor.
"From Chester the King retreated to Denbigh Castle, and, having layed there two or three nights, retourned to Chirk Castle [Map]. The next morning, viz. 29th, he advanced from thence with his army through Llan-Silin, and quartered that night in Halchdyn1 and so passed through Mountgomeryshyre towards Ludlow.
Note 1. Halchdyn is in Deuddwr, between the rivers Havren and Vyrnwy, aad near Llandrinio. The name of the place has been anglicised into Haughton.
On 14 Oct 1646 Kenrick Eyton (age 39) was one of the commissioners to arrange the surrender of Denbigh Castle to General Thomas Mytton.
1800. Unknown Painter. Denbigh Castle and Town. Antique Steel Vignette by & Co Newman published by D.L.L.Lewis, Rhyl.
Archaeologia Cambrensis 1853 Page 155. Fall of Part of Denbigh Castle.
Archaeologia Cambrensis 1855 Page 64. Denbigh Castle.
Archaeologia Cambrensis 1855 Page 185-228. Original Charter Preserved Amongst The Records Of The Corporation Of Denbigh.1
Note 1. In the following document the words contracted in the original are given in extenso. In the first word the initial H has been here supplied, a space appearing obviously left for a rubricated or illuminated initial, which may have become effaced by time.
Chester Archaeological and History Society 1856 Page 48. Denbigh Castle by William Ayrton.
Chester Archaeological and History Society 1856 Page 48. Plan of Denbigh Castle from a Survey by James Harrison.
The Welsh Castles and Towns of Edward I comprise a number of castles, some with associated planned towns, commissioned as a means of containing the Welsh. They included, from east to west, Flint Castle [Map], Rhuddlan, Conwy Castle [Map], Beaumaris Castle [Map], Caernarfon Castle [Map], Harlech Castle [Map] and Aberystwyth Castle [Map]. Those not on the coast include Chirk Castle [Map], Denbigh Castle and Town Walls and Builth Castle [Map]. Arguably, Holt Castle [Map] and Criccieth Castle [Map] should be included.
Great Gatehouse
The Great Gatehouse [Map] comprised three inter-connected octagonal towers known as the Porter's Lodge Tower, the Prison Tower and the Badnes Tower. The Gatehouse was further protected by a Barbican.
The River Clwyd rises 8km north-west Corwen, Denbighshire [Map] from where it flows past Ruthin Castle [Map], Denbigh [Map], St Asaph [Map] to Rhuddlan Castle [Map], from where the remaining 4km were canalised when the castle wads constructed, entering the Irish Sea at Rhyl [Map].
1781. Thomas Pennant (age 54). Great Gatehouse [Map] at Denbigh Castle.
Before 09 Nov 1802. Thomas Girtin (age 27). Great Gatehouse [Map] of Denbigh Castle.
Before May 1804. Edward Dayes (age 41). Great Gatehouse [Map] of Denbigh Castle.
Wales Illustrated North Wales. Great Gatehouse [Map] at Denbigh Castle.
1853. Unknown Painter. Great Gatehouse [Map] at Denbigh Castle. Taken from Woodward, B. B.: "History of Wales".
Chester Archaeological and History Society 1856. Frontspiece. Great Gateway [Map] of Denbigh Castle.
Well
The 15m deep Well [Map] in which Edmund, son of Henry Lacy 4th Earl Lincoln, Earl Salisbury drowned.
After 1282 Edmund de Lacy (age 11) drowned in the Well [Map] at Denbigh Castle. The date based on his father havbing been granted the Lordship of Denbigh in 1282.
Great Kitchen Tower
The Great Kitchen Tower [Map].
Great Hall
The Great Hall [Map] had a buttery (for butts of wine) and pantry at the Great Kitchen Tower [Map] end, and a porch at the other end leading to apartments in the White Chamber Tower [Map] and Green Chambers [Map]. The holes visible in the wall are where the substantial floor joists would have been placed.
White Chamber Tower
The White Chamber Tower [Map] contained apartments with fireplaces and latrines.
Green Chambers
The Green Chambers [Map], the name probably a reference to the green Gwespyr stone used, was a multi-purpose, multi-storey building with drainage.
Postern Gate and Barbican
The Postern Gate and Barbican [Map] were a complex series of defensive features to protect the vulnerable rear of the castle where the rock ridge was lowest.
Mantlet
The Mantlet [Map] provided additional protection at the rear of the castle where the rock ridge was lowest, and curtain wall thinnest, over-looking the entrance to the Postern Gate and Barbican [Map].
Treasure House Tower
Chester Archaeological and History Society 1856 Page 48. Part of the South Wall of Denbigh Castle [looking toward the Treasure House Tower [Map]]