Montgomery Castle, above the town, is one of a number built along the line of the English/Welsh border which for many hundreds of years was an area of political conflict and tension.

The ruins of Montgomery Castle

Built during Henry III's campaign against Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, the Castle succeeded the Motte & Bailey at Hen Domen, one mile to the North West, after 1223.

Hen Domen, once a timber castle, is now one of the most extensively excavated timber castles in Britain. It was built in the 1070's (not long after the Norman Conquest) by Roger, Earl of Shrewsbury.

Today the site consists of a large motte or earthen mound on which the timber keep would have stood, and to the east a bailey, all of which were defended by double ramparts and ditches.

Dolforwyn Castle stands on a wooded hill overlooking the Severn Valley and was designed to act as a sentinel over Llywelyn's south eastern frontier. The position enjoys wide views except to the east and it is hard to picture such a serene setting as one of political tension. The Castle is sited 11 miles south of Welshpool near Abermule.