TRETOWER (TREF-Y-TWR), a chapelry, in the parish of Llanvihangel-Cwm-DU, union and hundred, of CRICKHOWEL, county
of BRECKNOCK, SOUTH WALES, 3 miles (N. by W.) from Crickhowel; containing 282 inhabitants. This place 'derives its name,
signifying "the town of the tower," from its castle, supposed by some to have been originally the residence of one of the
native lords of Brycheiniog, but by whom or when it was founded has not been distinctly ascertained. It was perhaps built
by Pycard, a Norman knight, to whom Bernard Newmarch gave the manor, to be held by knight's service, as of the paramount
lordship of Blamillynvi. From the Pycards the manor and castle descended, by marri	to the Bloets of Rag.. Ian Castle,
in Monm	ire, with whom it continned till the reign of Richard IL, when, by the marriage of Isabel, or Elizabeth, only
daughter -and heiress of Sir John Bloet, it passed to Sir James Berkeley, second son of Lord Berkeley, 'of Berkeley
Castle, in Glooestershire. In 1403, Sir James was commanded by Henry IV. to fortify his castle of Tretower against Owain
Glyndwr, by whom it was, notwithstanding, partially -demolished; and, at present, there are in some of the remaining walls
several parts which appear 'to have undergone repairs, probably at the time here alluded to, as they display evident marks
of haste in the execution of the work, some of the ancient ornamental carving having been walled up. The manor and the
remains of the castle were given by Edward IV. to the family of the Her-bens, from whom the property descended by
inheritance to the Duke of Beaufort, in whose possession there is a sketch of the castle, as it appeared in the reign of
Elizabeth. The village is pleasantly situated on the left bank of the river Rhiangoll, which, after flowing through the
beautiful Vale of Owm Dfi, fhlls into the Usk within a short distance of it, between the lofty mountains near the entrance
of the vale, through which the road from Crickhowel to Brecknock is carried. It contains but few houses, and independently
of its situation and the remains of the ancient castle, presents scarcely any objects of interest: the rateable annual
value of the chapelry has been returned at £1754. The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with £800 royal bounty; net
income, £64; patron, Morgan Morgans, Esq.; impropriator, Mr. Jones. The chapel, which is now a dhapel ease to the
parochial church, is dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, but whether it was founded by the monks of the:priory, or, as
is more probable, by Pyoard, as an appendage to the castle, has not been satisfactorily ascertained; it was rebuilt in
1776, the expense being defrayed by a parish rate. A round tower, and some ruined walls mantled with ivy, are all that
remain of the castle, which was situated in a very low and damp spat, on the bank of the Rhiangoli, to the south-west of
the village. Adjoining the castle grounds is the "fair place of Henry Vehan, Esq.," noticed by Leland, which is now only a
farm-house. -Among the ancestors of this family, many of whom represented the county in parliament, and were high sheriffs
of it, may be noticed the gallant Sir Roger Vaughan, who was knighted on the field of Agin-mint, together with Sir David
Gain and others of Ms brave countrymen, who saved their sovereign's life by the sacrifice of their own  Thome, who, in
the reign of Henry VI., was attainted for his attach. ment to the house of York; Sir Roger, who, fightlug in the same
cause' was killed in Roger, great battle of Dariesmoor, near Banbary; and Sir Thomas, chamberlain to the young Edward V.,
who, with the Leeds Grey and Rivers, was beheaded at Pontefract by Richard III. Some of the descendants still reside in
the village, though not possessed of any of the property; the ancient mansion, with the demesne of Tretower Court, having
been sold by Charles Vaughan, Esq., about half a century ago.