YSTRAD MEURIG CASTLE

Site Details

NPRN
300842
Map Reference
SN76NW
Grid Reference
SN7026567525
Unitary (Local) Authority
Ceredigion
Old County
Cardiganshire
Community
Ystrad Meurig
Type of Site
CASTLE
Broad Class
Defence
Period
Medieval

Site Description

The earthworks remain of an important castle established in about 1110 and then destroyed in 1137. It was disputed, besieged and rebuilt through the later twelfth century and is last recorded in 1208. It is possible that earlier notices refer to a castle mound 1.5km to the east (NPRN 300616).

The castle remains consists of a rather angular enclosure, about 100m north-south by 82m, occupying the southern tip of a spur. This has traces of a rampart and ditch on the north where it faces level ground and is otherwise defined by scarps above steep natural slopes. In the northern part of the enclosure are the foundations of a massive rectangular stone tower, 18-20m across. This was apparently part of a building complex at least 30m across. Within the southern tip of the castle enclosure gentle scarps define an inner oval enclosure, about 35m north-south by 30m.

Sources: Renn 'Early Norman Castles' (1968), 242-3
Davies 'A Company of Forts' revised edition (2000) 42-3

John Wiles, RCAHMW, 27 July 2007