Nearly 100 years ago, the Brecknock Society saved the world-renowned Tretower Court from collapse, if not complete destruction.

Recently, the Society has commemorated its achievement of raising funds to purchase the Court, after which it was handed it over to the government for a programme of repair and restoration.

On the evening of Friday, April 1, a large audience at Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon was treated to a fascinating public lecture, under the title ‘A Pretty Castle and a Fair Place’, by Dr David Robinson, who has himself had many years of close contact with both Tretower Court and Castle and who has written the current beautifully-illustrated guide-book. In the course of his lecture he traced the colourful histories of successive owners, the Picard, Herbert and Vaughan families.

He also gave a lively account of the various eminent archaeologists, such as Cyril Fox and Ralegh Radford, who worked on site, and of their, often controversial, theories of conservation and reconstruction.

There has been much debate over the origin and use of various main features of the Court – such as the north range with its long timber-framed balcony. It is dendrochronology (the dating of oak timbers from the width of their growth rings) that has provided much of the important recent evidence. This has provided a firm mid-fifteenth century date for the west range with its Great Hall. This was the 24th Sir John Lloyd Lecture, in a series which has become known as one of the premier public lectures in Wales.

It was introduced by Dr John Gibbs, chairman of the Brecknock Society, who referred to the fact that it was Sir John Lloyd, the first secretary of the Society, who had played a key role both in the initiative to save Tretower Court and in the founding and development of the Brecknock Museum & Art Gallery.

After the lecture, Dr Robinson was thanked on behalf of all present by Mr Nigel Clubb and a retiring collection was taken for the educational work of the Society.

On the following morning, a group of Brecknock Society members was treated to a special tour of Tretower Court and Castle under the stimulating leadership of Dr Robinson, together with lively support provided Mr Ian Andrews, lead custodian.

At the Castle, members were encouraged to identify details in the walls that indicated the various periods of construction, and in the Court to look at features such as the way in which the timber-framed balcony continues along only part of the west range. There were also discussions about the patterns of use of the large kitchen, and the ‘pros and cons’ of the current decoration and ‘fitting out’ of the Great Hall.

From this first-hand experience, everyone gained new insights and understanding into this fascinating historic building in the heart of Brecknockshire.