Cardigan Old Castle Motte

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Aberteifi; Dingeraint; Dingereint

In the community of Cardigan.
In the historic county of Cardiganshire (Modern authority of Ceredigion, preserved county of Dyfed).

Ringwork castle built here as early as 1093, probably by the Norman, Roger de Montgomery. The castles fate is clouded with discrepancies. Apparently, the Welsh attacked Cardigan Old Castle in 1094, and it may have been occupied for a brief time by Cadwgan (a prince of Powys, who died in 1111). Various sources claim the original motte castle; was abandoned shortly after the Welsh uprising; was destroyed in 1165; was replaced c. 1110 by another earth and timber castle, strategically sited to guard the river crossing; or was abandoned "at some unknown time", in favour of the new location.
Slight rampart and ditch cut off a cliff-top promontory, set above the Teifi estuary. There is a causewayed entrance. This monument has been integrated into the historical narrative of medieval Cardigan as the first Norman castle, but may be an earlier medieval or IA enclosure.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN16424640

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Monuments Record number; 304070

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 1068

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/cardigan.html
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p39, 41
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p38
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p44
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p46 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p45
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p335
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
• Journal Articles
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Chateau Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol112 p77-124
    King, 1956, Ceredigion Vol3 p56