the castle was initially a motte and bailey castle built from around 1121, probably by robert turberville, a member of the notable norman family, who at the time was a tenant of the marcher lord bernard de neufmarché. in 1172 it was attacked by welsh rebels, led by one seisyllt ap rhirid. henry de turberville (died 1239), the son of another robert, was seneschal of gascony in the years 1226–1231 and again in 1237–1238, and crickhowell castle was held at the time by a richard turberville. edmund de turberville is recorded as lord of crickhowell later in the century. hugh turberville, who held crickhowell castle from 1273, not as tenant-in-chief but as mesne lord, also held the position of seneschal of gascony. hugh's services were called upon by king edward i of england to train welsh men-at-arms and transform the royal levy into a disciplined medieval army capable of conquering wales; he led both cavalry and 6,000 infantry recruited in the welsh marches for king edward's forces. he was later constable of castell y bere in merionethshire. he fought against rhys ap maredudd during his rising from 1287 to 1291, and died in 1293, the last of the family in the direct line.