Pen y Castell, Llanilar

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Garth Grugyn

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

Shovel shaped court divided by rock gut ditch from second court (King accepts as castle as probably rightly identified as Garth Grugyn (recorded as built 1242). Hogg regards as a small fort divided by open-cast cut, and rejects identification as Garth Grugyn since site lies far outside Crugyn township (now Craigwen)). The site is scheduled as a Prehistoric hillfort. Garth Grugyn is a site recorded as being fortified by Maelgwn Fychan in 1242.

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 SN62997454

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; 303578

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 1995

Books

Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p41
Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p36, 44
Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p47 [slight]
Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p117
Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p46
Owen, Henry (ed), 1936, The Description of Pembrokeshire (London) Vol4 p491

Journal Articles

Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
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 p62-3
Hughes, 1926, Cardiganshire Antiquarian Scoiety Vol4 p25, 49

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other indivduals and organisations.

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This record last updated on Saturday, January 20, 2007

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