Norman castle, besieged by drugs and litter louts, closes to public

A HISTORIC Norman castle will close to the public after 30 years because litter louts and drug dealers have made keeping it open “onerous and unrewarding”, its owners have said.

Usk Castle in Monmouthshire, a Grade I listed building, was built in the 12th century, and Norman, Welsh and English armies have fought over it for centuries. But owners Rosie and Henry Humphreys said visitors had failed to appreciate its fascinating history.

The castle was bought by the family for just £525, but the couple have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on restoring it to its former glory.

Mrs Humphreys said: “Following the closure of Usk Castle over lockdown, we tentatively tried opening by appointment over the summer bank holiday period to help visitors find things to do over a damp week.

“It proved onerous and unrewarding, despite several cheery souls making the best of it.

“As a family, we now feel, after being open virtually every day of the year for about 30 years, that ti mes have changed, and we would like to regain the privacy of our home and garden.

“All those years ago, it felt right to share an opportunity of this lovely and pleasant space for families and tourists to visit.

Mrs Humphreys added: “However as times change, so did our visitors. We have had an increasing number of unpleasant experiences, from drug users and dealers, litter, theft, and plain rudeness.”

The castle was the site of the start of the Battle of Usk in 1405 and has been a ruin since 1536. It survived on donations from visitors.

However, the owners said keeping it going as a visitor attraction was unworkable due to “visitors fumbling in their pockets for small coins”, without being aware that the cost of conserving the banqueting hall i n 2010 was £90,000.

The owners added: “The spirit of joyful appreciation has been replaced by the demands of a right to visit.

“The change therefore, is that we have decided, for the future, that the castle will be freely open only to Usk Castle Friends.”