Llandovery Castle

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a castle, dating to the medieval period. It was originally constructed in the 12th century as a motte and bailey; the motte, a large conical mound was scarped out of a rocky hillock overlooking the Afon Bran and stands c 15m high. The bailey, a sub-rectangular embanked enclosure of c 4.5m high above the surroundings is located to the east. Further outlying banks formerly existed to the south west. These defences will have been surrounded by wet or dry ditches and possibly strengthened with palisades, revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte, all of wood. Later in the thirteenth century the castle was refortified in stone and the remains today comprise the footings of a shell keep, a strong D-shaped tower on the west and a twin-towered gatehouse with a well turret to the north together with sections of a curtain wall around the motte.

The castle had an English foundation and is first mentioned in 1116 when it was attacked by Gruffudd ap Rhys. It fell briefly to the Lord Rhys in 1158 but between 1159 and 1161 was extensively repaired by Henry II. Captured again by Lord Rhys in 1162 it remained in Welsh hands for over 100 years figuring between 1195 and 1213 in a series of repeated skirmishes during the dynastic quarrels of the southern Welsh princes. In 1277 it fell to the English king Edward I and remained in English hands except for when temporarily captured by Llywelyn the Last in 1282. The repercussion of this disturbance was the fortification of the castle in stone following the grant of Cantref Bychan by Edward I to John Giffard who had assisted the king in his wars against Llywelyn.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.