Castell Cadwaladr, Caer Penrhos

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Llanrhystud; Caer Penrhoys; Caerpenrhos; Gaer Penrhos

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

Castell Cadwaladr is a superbly-sited, magnificent ringwork castle, apparently built within an earlier Iron Age hillfort called Caer Penrhos, which has been used as a bailey. The earthworks are well preserved on this site of considerable strength. The ring motte probably represented the castle founded by Richard de la Mare a follower of Richard de Clare in 1110. Seized and captured in Gruffyd ap Rhys devastation of 1116. Again destroyed by Owain Cadwallader in 1136. In 1143 it was taken by Hywel but in 1144 it was again retaken by Cadwallader. There seems to have been two castles of Llanrhystyd and this was one of them. It is stated that Cadwallader built a castle at Llanrhystyd in 1149 and handed it over with a neighbouring portion of Ceredigion to his son Cadfan. Hywel deemed the moment a suitable one for aggression and seized his cousin and possessed himself in 1150, of land and castle, making himself lord of the whole province.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN55206955

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; 300770

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 764

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/caer_pen.html
    http://www.castlewales.com/gilbert.html
    http://www.llanrhystud.co.uk/gaer_penrhos/gaer_penrhos.shtml
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p39
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p28
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p37
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p200, 236
    Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p47
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p300
• 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
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp90-121
    King, 1956, Ceredigion Vol3 p63-4
    Hughes, 1926, Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society Vol4 p26, 51
• Guidebooks
  • Olding, F., 1998, Penrhos Castle Monmouthshire Dba/S