ABEREDW CASTLE

Site Details

NPRN
92384
Map Reference
SO04NE
Grid Reference
SO0764047387
Unitary (Local) Authority
Powys
Old County
Radnorshire
Community
Aberedw
Type of Site
CASTLE
Broad Class
Defence
Period
Medieval

Site Description

A crenelated mansion or castle, built by Walter Hackelutel in 1284-5 in the wake of the troubles of the later thirteenth century. It apparently replaced the castle mound on higher ground some 200m to the south-east (NPRN 305749). The castle is not recorded beyond the fourteenth century.

The castle is a walled enclosure, some 39-41m square, with 6.0m diameter round towers at the angles. It stands above the Wye floodplain scarps on the west and has a 10-15m wide ditch on the remaining three sides with a counterscarp bank on the north. The entrance faced east where there is a causeway across the ditch. There are some slight traces of internal buildings. The eastern towers, at least, featured latrine shoots.
The castle is greatly ruined. A dismantled railway runs along the foot of the river scarp.

Source: Jones and Frost in Archaeology in Wales 34 (1994), 76-8

John Wiles, RCAHMW, 01 August 2007