TregrugCastle ruins in southeast Wales, United Kingdom

My ancestors seem to be very committed to three things: building things (castles, churches, monasteries etc.), leadership (in the church and/or in government) and science (also known as astronomy/astrology, alchemy or the healing arts).

Check out this incredible example of things they built: 

Castell Tregrug aka Llangibby Castle



"The history of Llangibby Castle is a tale of three castles, one of which has a claim to be one of the largest in the country, and one wasn't a castle at all. We also look at one of the key figures of the Civil War in Monmouthshire - the Royalist turned Parliamentarian turned Royalist, clubman Sir Trevor Williams. Meanwhile Goff examines - and raises questions about - one of the most notorious crimes in the history of South Wales: The Llangibby Murders of 1878." - Little Knowledge Podcast VIDEO LINK

Elizabeth de Clare, Lady De Burgh
It was originally built by Cornish Saint Cybi also known as Cybi Felyn "the Yellow" ap Selyf,. He was is my third cousin 39 times removed. He lived between the years 490 to 555 AD. I'm related to lots of Saints as it turns out. Click here to learn about Saint Cybi's Well. Or HERE to watch a video. Reminds me of this earlier blog about the well of another ancestor of mine. 

The castle belonged to the De Clare family beginning in 1245. They were related to me also.  

In 1301 Joan of Acre my 23rd great grandmother and her daughter Elizabeth de Clare my 22nd great grandmother were living there and were in charge of the estate. The ladies threw lavish parties and oversaw construction of new parts of the enormous castle. Note the red hair! 


In the year 1314 Earl of Winchester Hugh Despenser, the Younger, my 21st great grandfather, was said to have built what remains of the late medieval construction. The Despenser Dynasty has a lot of stories. You can read more about their adventures by clicking here. 

My 3rd cousin 9 times removed on my father's side, Sir Trevor Williams, MP, 1st Bt of Llangibby, married my 1st cousin 12 times removed on my mother's side Elizabeth Williams and they lived the in the castle during the years of the English Civil War. The castle it was slighted during the war and all that remains today are beautiful ruins.

"Its ruins still remain, surrounded by dense woodland. They include a huge rectangular walled enclosure on the top of the hillside, surrounded by ditches, and including the remains of a large stone tower, known as the Lord's Tower, and a gatehouse. The Williams family built a new house nearby later in the 17th century; it was demolished in 1951." - wikipedia

I came across all of this because I started watching a documentary about archeologists looking at the remnants. In the process I started looking up the names and sure enough, they were my ancestors. 

Watch it for free on Youtube now: 







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