Abergavenny Castle
Abergavenny Castle is a ruined medieval castle in the gateway town to the Brecon Beacons National Park in Monmouthshire, originally built around 1090 by Hamelin de Ballon as part of the Norman conquest of southeast Wales. The castle became notorious as the site of the Christmas 1175 massacre when the Norman lord Sytsylt de Ewyas invited Welsh chieftains to a feast and had them slaughtered, an event that gave the castle an enduring reputation for treachery in Welsh historical memory. The substantial remains of the keep, gate towers and curtain wall survive within an attractive public park in the town centre, with a museum in the castle grounds interpreting the history of the town and region. Abergavenny is celebrated as the Food Capital of Wales, hosting the annual Food Festival that attracts leading chefs and food producers, and serves as the main centre for exploring the Black Mountains and eastern Brecon Beacons.