Ruins of the Old Bishop's Palace

Planned as a single bailey castle with the main defence in the gatehouse and the walls above the river escarpment. Gatehouse with twin towers, originally with two floors above a basement, archway with three vaulted bays with the original moulding, portcullis slot and rebate for the surviving ancient oak doors with much iron strapping and studding. There is a north-east tower, which is shown in Speed's view of 1610, together with other towers along the south wall, traces of which also remain. Curtain wall, most complete along west front. Traces only of original upper rooms.

There is now no evidence for structures within the walls apart from the suggestions of a first floor Great Hall in the corner above the escarpment. John Speed shows nothing in 1610 although the walls and towers are shown complete. Single bailey castles of this kind, with limited accommodation within the walls and towers themselves, would always have had timber buildings within the bailey, see for example Caldicot Castle (qv Caldicot Community, Monmouthshire). The interiors of the gatehouse were not available for inspection at resurvey, but it is reported that the north tower has an unlit semi-basement and the south tower has a well appointed ground floor room with a hooded fireplace and arrow loops in three directions. The square turret behind contains a spacious newel stair which must have given access to the room above the full width of the gatehouse.