 Sir Charles Somerset was politically successful under both Henry VII and Henry VIII , being made the Earl of Worcester . His son , Henry Somerset , died shortly after inheriting Raglan , but not before using lead reclaimed from Tintern Abbey to help the building work at Raglan Castle during the dissolution of the monasteries . His son and grandson , William Somerset and Edward Somerset , proved to be what John Kenyon describes as " wealthy , brilliant and cultured men " . William rebuilt much of the Pitched Stone Court , including the hall , adding the Long Gallery and developing the gardens into the new Renaissance style . The Somerset family owned two key castles in the region , Raglan and Chepstow , and these appeared to have figured prominently as important status symbols in paintings owned by the family . 
