Everything about Crickhowell totally explained
Crickhowell (
Crug Hywel,
Crughywel, or
Crucywel in
Welsh) is a small
town (External Link
) in
Powys,
Mid Wales.
Location
The name Crickhowell is taken from that of the nearby
Iron Age hill fort of
Crug Hywel above the town
(External Link),
(External Link) and
(External Link), the
Welsh language name being anglicised by map-makers and local English-speaking people. The town lies on the
River Usk, on the southern edge of the
Black Mountains and in the eastern part of the
Brecon Beacons National Park. Significant parts of the surrounding countryside, over 20,000 acres, (80 km²) form part of the
Glanusk Park estate. The town has a population of around 2,800 people.
Schools
Crickhowell High School is a
secondary school with approximately 670 pupils. In 2000, it was ranked 77th in
Wales in terms of its
GCSE results (based on 5 GCSEs, grades A-C). Since then, the school's exam results have improved dramatically and according to the latest inspection report by
Estyn the pass rate has risen to 72%, which means the school is now ranked in equal 19th place, or in the top 10% in
Wales. It is also the 4th best performing secondary school in
Powys, behind
Ysgol Uwchradd Llanidloes,
Builth Wells High School and
Llanfyllin High School.
Crickhowell Castle
Notable features in Crickhowell include the
seventeenth-century stone bridge
(External Link) over the
River Usk (External Link) with its odd arches (twelve on one side, thirteen on the other) and its seat built into the walls, the
fourteenth-century parish church of
St Edmund, and the ruins of Crickhowell Castle on the green "tump" beside the
A40 Brecon to
Abergavenny road.
Crickhowell castle was initially a
motte and bailey castle built from 1121, probably by Robert Turberville of the family of
Norman Lords, at this time a tenant of
Bernard de Neufmarche, Hugh Turberville holding the castle from
1273 not as tenant-in-chief but as mesne lord. Hugh Turberville was
Seneschal of
Gascony whose services were called upon by
King Edward I to train Welsh men-at-arms and transform the royal levy into a disciplined medieval army capable of conquering Wales. Hugh led both cavalry and 6000 infantry recruited in the
Welsh Marches for
King Edward I's forces. He was later a Deputy Constable and later Constable of
Castell y Bere in
Merionethshire. He fought against
Rhys ap Maredudd during his rising from
1287 to
1291. He died in
1293 the last of the family in the direct line.
The castle was refortified in stone from
1242 when Sybil Turberville a Turberville heiress married
Sir Grimbold Pauncefote or
Paunceforte. The castle was walled with substantial stone towers and a large
bailey, a home castle befitting an important Royal ally in Wales.
The castle was in the hands of the powerful
Mortimer family dynasty of
Marcher Lords and in the 1300's and declined as a smaller holding within a large portfilio of lands, titles and larger castles.
The castle was refortified on the Royal command of new King
King Henry IV in
1400 and carried out by
Sir John Pauncefote, great grandson of Sir Grimbold, in advance of the uprising led by
Owain Glyndŵr to
1412.
The castle was largely destroyed in the early
fifteenth century by Owain Glyndŵr's forces
(External Link) who also attacked and burned
Abergavenny town and other settlements in the area. However the ruined stone double tower still stands on the Castle Green.
The town
Crickhowell is administered by
Powys County Council. Planning issues are controlled by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority. There are two
schools -
primary and
secondary - which act as a central point for a large catchment area. There is some
light industry on the outskirts of Crickhowell at the Elvicta Industrial Estate. The town centre
(External Link) includes a variety of traditional businesses, many of which are family owned. Other facilities in Crickhowell include a community centre, two play areas, several shops, public toilets and a number of
pubs and
restaurants. Well known pubs include the Bear Hotel.
There are a number of churches in Crickhowell. St Edmund's Church holds a service every Sunday. There is also a
baptist church, an evangelical church
(External Link) and a
Catholic church.
Crickhowell’s most famous son was the mapping expert
Sir George Everest (1798-1866) who was born at
Gwernvale Manor near Crickhowell (this is now a hotel, known simply as 'The Manor'
(External Link)). He was a Surveyor-General of
India, after whom
Mount Everest was named, there's also a street in Crickhowell named after him (Everest Drive).
The
Glanusk Park estate isn't far away, the childhood home of the former
royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, who still lives near the town.
Tourism
Today, Crickhowell is a popular
tourist destination. In 2005 a Tourist Information centre was built in the centre of town and during summer the town is notably busier. Most people visit Crickhowell to see the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons, and maybe mountain-bike, camp, hill-walk, climb, fly-fish, hang-glide, caravan or tour the area by car.
Surrounding Villages
Further Information
Get more info on 'Crickhowell'.
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