Raglan castle, situated in the green countryside and within the town of Raglan.

The castle was begun in 1435 by Sir william ap Thomas who was able to express his desire for status and domestic comfort in the castle's most famous feature, its stately Great Tower.

On ap Thomas's death, his son William Herbert continued the work on the castle in the same lavish style, creating formal state apartments and a Great gatehouse.

Further changes took place in the mid-16th century, after which the castle was forced into active service.

It acquitted itself well during 1646 in one of the longest sieges of the Civil War before falling into the hands of Cromwells armies who demolished a large part of the castle.

But even in ruin, Raglan remains one of the finest examples of its kind in the UK, still preserving a wealth of decorative detail.