Captivating Crickhowell

Explore the lovely Usk Valley in Wales

ALL is not as it seems here,” the custodian at Tretower Court and Castle says. Puzzled, I hand over my entry fee.

“You could say there’s been a lot of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ over the years.”

She winks as she hands me my entry ticket.

Well, if you’re going to keep up with the Joneses, then Wales is certainly the place to do it!

Tretower Court and Castle stands in the beautiful Usk Valley, just three miles from the small market town of Crickhowell.

It began life as a simple wooden motte-and-bailey castle, before its 12thcentury owner, Roger Picard, created a stone version – the ruins of which can be seen today.

Strategically it was a cunning move, giving Roger the ability to control who was coming into the Usk Valley from Talgarth in the north, and Abergavenny in the south-east.

Stepping into the remains of the circular tower, I soon get a crick in my neck from looking up as it once boasted three floors.

The ornamental stonework around some of the building’s fireplaces and windows hints at the luxury the Picards enjoyed.

This was their main residence, and they clearly liked the finer things of 12th- and 13th-century living.

Across the grounds, you can see the impressive stone structure of Tretower Court.

This much larger building was first constructed in the early 14th century, and its imposing hall would have wowed anyone lucky enough to be invited inside.

Mind you, while some were invited to enjoy fancy dining events, others experienced it as a court for the collection of fines and taxes!

As the years slipped by, ownership passed to Sir Robert Vaughan, who reputedly became the richest commoner in Wales