England · 11th century
Longtown Castle ranks #5,033 of 9,040 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #314 of the 360 mapped in England. Founded c. 1050, it is older than 89% of the atlas's dated landmarks, one of 439 atlas entries founded in the 11th century. 15 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Cardiff, 54 km away. See how England compares in the castle statistics.
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.
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