St Briavels Castle

St Briavels Castle is a moated Norman Castle was built some time between 1075 and 1129 as a Royal centre of administration by the Sheriff of Gloucester, Walter of Gloucester, and his son Miles, who became Earl of Hereford in 1141. As a castle it was clearly built to be defended, but there is speculation that it was not to repel the Welsh, but to defend the Severn Estuary just to the south or from rebellious citizens.

The castle was built above the River Wye in the south-west edge of the Forest of Dean. In the first quarter of the 1200's it was a favourite hunting lodge of King John (he died of dysentery in 1216). He was succeeded by his Henry III.

Shortly after the death of King John, the Charter of the Forest was introduced. Courts were held at the Castle, punishing local peasants for cutting timber for the fires and their houses, and for hunting the local wild-life. Fines and sometimes prison were imposed.

It was later used as an industrial armoury for the manufacture of quarrels, the arrows that were fired from crossbows, a crucial medieval weapon. The crossbow themselves were made at the Tower of London. A forge was built within the Castle in 1228. In 1233, during a four month period 120,000 quarrels were made. King Henry III garrisoned troops at the Castle in 1233/4, to defend it from the 3rd Earl of Pembroke, and others, who held interests in Normandy, Ireland and Wales. In the event the Earl attacked Monmouth Castle, fleeing to Ireland where he later died following another confrontation there.

The castle has been altered numerous times during its' long history. During the 1300's and 1400's various royal favourites living there, but as it declined in importance, it was somewhat neglected. It was used as a court and as a debtor's prison. Eventually the notoriety and conditions in the prison (picture left) led to it being closed.

The castle had been built to a motte and bailey design, but the keep collapsed in the 1700's and was demolished. The stone curtain wall survived, together with a hall, a 14th century chapel and other buildings.

These were restored in the 1800's. The most impressive part of the castle is the gatehouse. It is a large and powerful structure built for defence. Following a partial collapse the south-east section was rebuilt. In 1906 St Briavels Castle was renovated and, eventually in 1948, became a Youth Hostel. It continues in that capacity to this day, owned by Englsh Heritage. The moat was filled in 1961 and made into a garden.