Scene #1 Entrance
Our narrator stands in front of the camera, ready to address the audience.
NARRATOR
William de Braose the 4th, often called “The Ogre of Abergavenny” is remembered as being a vile and ruthless-
From offscreen, William storms in, tossing the Narrator out of view.
WILLIAM
Out of my way, worm!
William turns his gaze to the camera, addressing the audience.
WILLIAM
So, you’re the rats who have come scurrying into my castle? Haven’t you heard what happened to the last rabble that came to dine with the Ogre of Abergavenny?
William cackles.
WILLIAM
Be warned, whelps, you are stepping into the hall of the man who brought Wales to its knees, who brought about the end of chieftains beyond counting, and who stood in open rebellion against the man who he once called ‘king’.
William grins, showing off his sharp teeth.
WILLIAM
I do hope you enjoy your stay.
Scene #2 Church of Saint Nicholas
WILLIAM
I see you’ve had the nerve to follow. Heh.
William gestures to the church behind him.
WILLIAM
My great-grandfather built the church you see before you, after he was given this land, for his aid during the Norman Conquest.
WILLIAM
Despite it being his castle, he often quarreled with the monks, here.
William snorts.
WILLIAM
Unlike him, I never had any trouble convincing people to see things -MY- way.
WILLIAM
The monks forged documents,claiming that they had the burial rights to the abbey, but my great-grandfather was a pious man, and he’d built the abbey to serve his castle, not the lowly rabble in the town below.
Scene #3 Gatehouse Tower
William stands before the gatehouse, accompanied by a handful of guardsmen.
WILLIAM
Bramber Castle stood for centuries, without suffering a defeat. Many-a-King, or petty lord, tried to take it from my family, but none were successful.
GUARDSMAN
Apart from King Henry, King John, and-
WILLIAM
Be quiet, dog!
GUARDSMAN
(Gulp) Sorry, Mi’lord!
WILLIAM
It reminds me of the gatehouse at Abergavenny, a favourite castle of mine.
William cackles.
WILLIAM
When the Princes and Chieftains of Gwent came to Abergavenny they were expecting a feast, but by the end of the evening the worms were feasting on them.
Scene #4 Outside the Bailey
WILLIAM
Here once stood the great keep; the very heart of Bramber Castle. Even if invaders had managed to make it this far, the keep that my grandfather built would stop them in their very tracks.
William gestures to where the Great Keep once stood.
WILLIAM
When I’m not away fighting the french, or taking care of the King’s dirty work for him, I can think of no finer place to sit back and relax…although, it has seen, uh, better days.
WILLIAM
Should you ever find yourself under-siege, make sure you have a great keep handy.
GUARDSMAN
Isn’t this where you killed Arthur of-
WILLIAM
Quiet, vermin!
Scene #5 Tower
WILLIAM
Watch towers like these lined Bramber Castle, and served as an excellent vantage point during battles. I always did enjoy watching my enemies fail to take my castle, from on high.
WILLIAM
Oh, and the tower also serves as an excellent place for servants who spill my ale to have a little…accident.
William Smirks to himself.
WILLIAM
Try not to look down once you’re up there.
Scene #6 Viewpoint (beyond the tower)
WILLIAM
My wife, Matilda, always did enjoy the view from here.
William smiles.
WILLIAM
Some called her a witch, and say that she built her own castle in a single night. Supposedly she kicked a nine foot stone into the River Wye, from three miles away, where it still stands to this day.
WILLIAM
Legends also called her a “giantess”, but I reckon that was just a ploy to get me to fork out for a king-sized mattress.
Scene #7 The Broken Wall
WILLIAM
Since my great grandfather first built these walls to protect against his enemies, they have held strong and-
William trails off.
WILLIAM
I could have sworn there used to be a wall here.
William calls off-screen.
WILLIAM
Norman! What happened to the wall?
VOICE FROM OFF-SCREEN
Roundheads,your ogre-ness!
WILLIAM
What the devil is a Roundhead?
VOICE FROM OFF-SCREEN
I think it’s a condition.
Scene #8 Ruined Site
WILLIAM
This is where the old barracks was…or maybe the great hall. I forget.
William shrugs.
WILLIAM
Not that I’d hang around with the lowly vermin. A lord has to keep up appearances, after all.
William calls off-screen
WILLIAM
Norman! What did you and your ilk get up to here?
VOICE FROM OFF-SCREEN
Drinking, mostly,your Ogre-ness. Much merriment was had in the great hall!
WILLIAM
Ah, of course! Nothing like a nice cold drink to polish off a long day of building churches, or massacring the welsh.
Scene #9 Missing Curtain Wall
WILLIAM
Well, you’ve lasted longer than the Welsh did, and Arthur for that matter, but keep that between us.
William laughs.
WILLIAM
These are all that remains of my castle’s once mighty fortifications, where the tide used to crash against.
WILLIAM
This castle isn’t quite what it used to be, but she has endured her fair share of war,adventure,and scheming.If you only know where to look, you’ll find stories beyond counting hidden in these old stones.