View source for Holt Castle

{{Short description|Castle ruins in Holt, Wrexham, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{For|the castle of the same name in Worcestershire|Holt Castle, Worcestershire}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox Military Structure
|name = Holt Castle
|partof = the [[Wrexham (county borough)|County Borough of Wrexham]]
|location = [[Holt, Wales|Holt]], [[Wales]]
|image =Holt Castle Ruins.jpg
|caption = Holt Castle remnants 
|map_type = UK Wales
|map_alt = Located in North East Wales
|map_caption = Location in Wales
|map_size = 200
|type = Pentagonal enclosure castle
|coordinates = {{coord|53.077919|-2.880256|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
|code =
|built = c. 1282–1311
|builder = John de Warrene
|materials = [[Sandstone]]
|height = Up to {{convert|10|m}}
|used = 
|demolished = 1675–1683
|condition = Complete ruin. Nothing remains of the castle except a few examples of masonry.
|ownership =
|open_to_public = Yes
|controlledby =
|garrison =
|current_commander =
|commanders =
|occupants =
|battles = [[Owain Glyndŵr|Attacked during the uprising of Owain Glyndŵr]]
|events = [[Welsh Wars]]
|image2 =
|caption2 =
|native_name=Castell Holt}}
'''Holt Castle''' ({{Langx|cy|Castell Holt}}) was a [[medieval castle]] in the village of [[Holt, Wales|Holt]], [[Wrexham County Borough]], [[Wales]]. Work began on the castle, which is on the [[Wales-England border|Welsh–English border]] by the banks of the [[River Dee, Wales|River Dee]], in the 13th century during the [[List of Anglo-Welsh wars#Thirteenth Century|Welsh Wars]].

In the [[medieval period]], the five-towered fortress was actually known as ''Castrum Leonis'' or ''Castle Lyons'' because it had a [[lion]] [[Motif (visual arts)|motif]] carved into the stonework above its main gate. In the 17th century, almost all the stonework was removed from the site; only the [[sandstone]] foundation and a small amount of masonry survives.

==Construction==
[[File:Castle holt 2.webm|thumb|thumbtime=9|350px|left|A reconstruction of Holt Castle in 1495]]

The castle, which was constructed between 1277 and 1311, was built from local [[sandstone]] on top of a {{convert|12|m|adj=on}} high [[promontory]]. It was shaped like a [[pentagon]] with towers at each corner.

The castle had a stepped ramp up to a main gateway, [[barbican]], [[inner ward]], [[postern]] and [[Curtain wall (fortification)|curtain walls]]. There was also a water-filled [[moat]] that was fed from the River Dee.

The design of the castle featured towers that were built against the face of the rock outside the curtain wall, similar to the inner wards at [[Ruthin Castle|Ruthin]] and at [[Conwy Castle|Conwy]].

==History==
[[File:Holt Castle 02809.jpg|thumb|Holt Castle by [[Thomas Pennant]], 1781]]
Holt castle was started by [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] on a sandstone base next to the River Dee soon after the [[Welsh Wars|invasion]] of [[North Wales]] in 1277. In 1282 Edward presented the Welsh lands of [[Lordship of Bromfield and Yale|Bromfield and Yale]] in which Holt was situated to loyal lord  [[John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey|John de Warrene]], who was also given the task of completing the castle.<ref>[https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A33602.0001.001/1:5.23?rgn=div2;view=fulltext The History of Wales], Powell, David, 1552-1598, Wynne, W. (William), 1649 or 50-1711, University of Michigan, p. 181</ref> By 1311 the castle had been finished and a [[Plantation (settlement or colony)|planned town]] laid out next to it for the use of English settlers.

A century later, Welsh forces burned down the town in 1400 during the uprising of [[Owain Glyndŵr]]; although the castle was not taken.
By the 16th century Holt Castle had fallen into disuse and ruin. The [[England|English]] [[Elizabethan]] [[topographer|map maker]] [[John Norden]] surveyed the castle and noted that it was "nowe in great decay".

For most of the [[First English Civil War]], Holt was garrisoned by [[Royalist]]s troops. It was captured by the [[Roundheads|Parliamentarians]] in 1643 but retaken by the Royalists in spring of 1644. After they had surrendered, thirteen of the Parliamentarian garrison were put to the sword  and their bodies were thrown into the moat.{{sfn|Carlton|1992|p=258}}{{sfn|Bingley|1839|p=226}} In January 1647, after a siege that lasted for nine months the Royalist governor, Sir [[Richard Lloyd (Royalist)|Richard Lloyd]], surrendered Holt to [[Thomas Mytton]] (the commander of the besieging Parliamentarians)—after Holt's surrender [[Harlech Castle|Harlech]] was the only stronghold in Wales still under Royalist control and it fell to Mytton in March of that year.{{sfn|Pettifer|2000|p=66}} After the surrender, Colonel [[Roger Pope]] was appointed Parliamentary governor of Holt.{{sfn|Williams|1895|p=116}} By order of Parliament, Holt was [[slighting|slighted]] later that year.{{sfn|Bingley|1839|p=226}}{{sfn|Pettifer|2000|p=66}}

Between 1675 and 1683 much of the castle was taken away by [[Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet]] of Eaton, who used barges to carry the stonework downstream to rebuild [[Eaton Hall, Cheshire|Eaton Hall]] after the [[English Civil War]].<ref>{{Citation | last = Anon. |year = 2002| title = Eaton Halls|publisher = Eaton Estate|page = 2}}</ref>

In the 18th century all that remained of Holt Castle was part of a tower and a rectangular building.

==Preservation==
The only sizeable part of Holt Castle that remains is perched on its sandstone base. Some masonry features are still visible, including the lower walls of the inner keep, the [[postern|postern gate]], a [[buttress]], a chute exit and the foundations of the outer gate's square tower. In 2015, four years of extensive restoration work to remove vegetation, install steps and repair extant masonry was completed. A series of archaeological surveys of the site had also been undertaken.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wrexham.com/news/holt-castle-re-opens-after-four-year-restoration-95901.html|title=Holt Castle Re-opens After Four Year Restoration|website=www.wrexham.com|date=19 June 2015 }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Roger Edgeworth]]
*[[List of castles in Wales]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{Citation |last=Bingley |first=William |authorlink=William Bingley |year=1839 |title=Excursions in North Wales: including Aberystwith and the Devil's Bridge, intended as a guide to tourists |edition=3 |publisher=Longman, Orme |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=g-MuAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA226 226]}}
*{{Citation |last=Carlton |first=Charles |year= 1992  |title=Going to the Wars: The Experience of the British Civil Wars, 1638-1651 |edition=illustrated, reprint |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9780415103916 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=58jV-WdTQXoC&pg=PA258 258]}}
*{{Citation |last=Pettifer |first=Adrian |year=2000 |title=Welsh Castles: A Guide by Counties |edition=illustrated |publisher=Boydell & Brewer |isbn=9780851157788 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=Hs5DnKUSu9gC&pg=PA66 66]}}
*{{Citation |last=Williams |first=W.R. |year=1895 |title=Parliamentary History of the Principality of Wales,from the earliesr times to the present day, 1541-1895 ... |location=Brecknock |publisher=Priv. Print. for the author by E. Davis and Bell |page=[https://archive.org/stream/cu31924030498939#page/n137/mode/1up 116]}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Holt Castle, Wrexham}}
*[http://www.cheshirenow.co.uk/holt_castle.html Photos and information on Holt Castle]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110526211845/http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/english/heritage/holt_castle.htm Holt Castle] - official site

{{Edwardian castles in Wales}}
{{Wrexham}}

[[Category:Castles in Wrexham County Borough]]
[[Category:Castle ruins in Wales]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed castles in Wales]]
[[Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Wrexham County Borough]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]