Carreg Cennen Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Caer Cynan

In the community of Dyffryn Cennen.
In the historic county of Carmarthenshire (Modern authority of Carmarthenshire, preserved county of Dyfed).

Magnificently set castle, high on a limestone precipice. The ancient centre and stronghold of the commote of Is-Cennen. The earliest documentary reference for a castle on the site dates from 1248 and the existing castle belongs to the late C13/early C14, though there was a castle here long before this. C19 restorations. Constructed of rubble stone with ashlar dressings. Square inner bailey, with 3-storey gatehouse to N; rounded towers to the NW and NE. 2-storey hall range against E wall. Curtain wall to S survives at full height, that to the W is badly damaged. A vaulted passage runs from the SE corner to a cave below E outer ward. Outer ward has reduced defences; surving limekiln to E.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Listed but grading unknown listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN66801908

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; 103970

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 3998

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=17
    http://www.castlewales.com/carreg.html
    http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/carreg.htm
    http://www.worldwidewales.tv/index2.php
    http://www.acadat.com/HLC/Myddfai/area/area256.htm
    http://www.rcahmw.org.uk/uplands-10years/2001cs0726.html
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p43-6
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p67-70 [plan and reconstruction]
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p46-7
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p20-3 [plan]
    Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p54
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p336-8
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p602
    Richard, A.J., 1935, in Lloyd, J.E. (ed), History of Carmathenshire (Cardiff) Vol1 p283-4, 289
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p191-3
    RCAHMW, 1917, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Carmarthenshire (HMSO) p86-7
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p359
• Journal Articles
  • King, D.J.C., 1985, ‘Carreg Cennen Castle’, 132nd annual meeting, old Carmarthenshire, 1985, CAA, p19
    Kenyon, J.R., 1981 'Early Artillery Fortifications in England and Wales: a Preliminary Survey and Re-appraisal' Archaeological Journal Vol138 p213
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Jenkins, 1959-61, The Carmarthen Antiquary Vol3 p30-1
    Morgan and Spurrell, 1914-5, Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Vol10 p61-2
    1912-13, Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Vol8 p73
    Evans, 1906-7, Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Vol2 p197-8
    Stephey-Gulston, 1905-6, Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Vol1 p39-40
• Guidebooks
  • Lewis, J.M., 1990, Carreg Cennen Castle (CADW)
    Isaac, V., 1985, The story of Carreg Cennen Castle and farm; history, description, legends and rare breeds centre. (Llandeilo: Hydemarket)
    Gittins, R., 1983. Carreg Cennen Castle. (Llandysul: Gomer Press)
    Lewis, J.M., 1960, Carreg Cennen Castle, Carmarthenshire (HMSO)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#caerm3]
    Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol4 p179