The ‘tower’ in Tretower Court is Norman, but there was intense medieval activity on this site, and the remains of 15th Century life may be the most interesting thing about it- although the tower is undeniably spectacular and it’s easy to see how it must have commanded the whole valley around it. While the house at Tretower Court was home to rich and powerful families until the 18th Century, it has now been restored to full 15th-century glory.
The detail is extraordinary, and it doesn’t stop with grand and ornate furnishings (although those are there to see). The kitchens were just as important and offered just as much insight into the way the medieval inhabitants of Tretower lived, so they’ve been restored, too. Like all country houses of the age, Tretower Court was more than just a residence. In order to sustain the sumptuous lifestyles of the family who lived there and their servants, it had to be a farm, too.
The orchard is still there and so are some of the meadows where much of the food required to support the local inhabitants would have been raised or grown. Visitors can get an insight into all aspects of what life would have been like half a millennia ago. With modern farms all around it’s also easy to see the progression of life here, from the first fortification in dangerous and uncertain times to the establishment of a medieval residence through to modern rural living. It’s a tremendously interesting historical site.
- Address: Tretower Court and Castle, Tretower, Crickhowell, Powys
Postcode: NP8 1RD - Tel number: 01874 730279
Web Address: www.cadw.wales.gov.uk - Opening Hours: From April to October, Tretower Court is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily. From November to March, it is open from 10 am to 4 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 11 am to 4 pm on Sundays.
- Admission Charges: Adults £4.00, Concession £3.60, Family ticket £11.60*, Children under 5 Free, Disabled visitors and a companion Free, *Admits two adults & all children under 16. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Prices were valid until 31st March 2012.
Parking Charges: - Group information: 10% discounts are available for groups with more than 15 people
Accessibility information: Disabled visitors are entitled to free entry. - Dogs welcome