Britain's Wild West: Discovering Hay Castle
Art and Architecture • 21m
The peaceful South Wales town of Hay-on-Wye offers few clues today of its brutal past on a violent frontier. A monument to this history can be found in Hay Castle. Once right on the border between England and Wales, it sits in a region densely packed with castles that saw border skirmishes and bitter warfare for centuries.
Known as the Welsh Marches, this borderland attracted tough people seeking their fortune at the expense of the Welsh people. There are few better examples of these folk than William and Matilda de Braose, the Lord and Lady of Hay. Their story is steeped in blood and myth before a dramatic and gory fall from favour.
Open to the public for the first time in its 900 year history, Matt Lewis visited Hay Castle to find out what it can reveal about life in England’s medieval Wild West.
Up Next in Art and Architecture
-
England's Royal Churches
This film celebrates the glory of England's forgotten royal churches and their links to the most opulent country residences.
The church has always been at the heart of the English monarchy. From operating as a place of contemplation and refuge to symbolising national celebration, art historian...
-
Turner on Tour
Joseph Mallord William Turner is one of Britain's greatest artists. He was the ‘master of light’ who pioneered radical techniques to interpret the changing world around him.
In this documentary, Alice Loxton heads to the National Gallery to examine some of Turner’s most remarkable works, includ...
-
Hogarth: Into the Streets of Georgian...
Born in London at the turn of the 18th Century, William Hogarth became one of the most iconic English painters, printmakers, pictorial satirists, social critics, and editorial cartoonists of his generation.
Often dubbed the mirror of 18th Century London, Hogarth's most notable works include, A ...
13 Comments