Ruin
Longtown Castle
ENG England · 11th century
Longtown Castle, also termed Ewias Lacey Castle in early accounts, is a ruined Norman motte-and-bailey fortification in Longtown, Herefordshire. It was established in the 11th century by Walter de Lacy, reusing former Roman earthworks. The castle was then rebuilt in stone by Gilbert de Lacy after 1148, who also established the adjacent town to help pay for the work. By the 14th century, Longtown Castle had fallen into decline. Despite being pressed back into use during the Owain Glyndŵr rising in 1403, it fell into ruin. In the 21st century the castle is maintained by English Heritage and operated as a tourist attraction.
Text adapted from “Longtown Castle” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Longtown Castle ranks #123 of 6,412 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #47 of the 233 mapped in England. Founded c. 1050, it is older than 92% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 210 atlas entries founded in the 11th century. See how England compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →Frequently asked questions
Where is Longtown Castle?
Longtown Castle stands in England, at 51.95695°, -2.98992°.
When was Longtown Castle built?
The atlas dates its founding to c. 1050. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.
How famous is Longtown Castle?
In this atlas's fame ranking: #123 of 6,412 worldwide, and #47 in England. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.
What is the nearest castle to Longtown Castle?
Ewyas Harold Castle, about 6 km away.
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