Norton Castle

Norton is a village in Powys on the B4355, just two miles north of the border town of Presteigne, which is about 20 miles south-west of Ludlow. Little remains of this castle which is in the village, at SO304673, just north of St Andrew’s church. The motte itself is immediately to the west of the B4355. The site of the bailey is opposite, on the east side of the road. It is more or less rectangular and extends north from the edge of the churchyard. Scarps on the north and east side probably indicate its extent, and the Old Vicarage is on the site.

Norton is one of the few Welsh places listed in Domesday book (1086). At that time it was held by an obstinate Norman called Hugh the Donkey. It is believed that he built the castle around 1082. Its history closely mirrors that of nearby Knighton. Mentioned in 1191, it was destroyed in 1215 by Llewelyn ab Iorwerth. It seems to have been acquired by Ralph Mortimer on his marriage to Llewelyn’s daughter in 1230, and remained in the hands of the Mortimers thereafter. Following destruction by Llewelyn ap Gruffudd in 1262, the castle appears to have been allowed to deteriorate, though the remains of a little turret were still visible in the 16th century.

The detailed location of motte and bailey