Dryslwyn Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Drusselan; Deresloyn; Dyryslwyn; Drysllwyn

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

A native Welsh castle, much of which has been revealed by excavation. Occupied by the Princes of Deheubarth, it was taken by the forces of King Edward I in 1287. Dryslwyn was later betrayed to Owain Glyn Dwr 1403. Castle of limestone walls, built in the 1220s, and appears to have been demolished in the early C15. Polygonal inner ward containing principal remains to SW, with traces of middle and outer wards to NE. Early C13 curtain wall to inner ward stands only 1m high. Garderobe to E side, and remodelled C13 gatehouse to NE, surviving at foundation level only. On S side of gatehouse is the round tower, the original keep. Foundations survive to the original great hall and Maredudd ap Rhys' hall.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants 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 SN55402035

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; 100682

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 699, 4319

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=69
    http://www.castlewales.com/dryslwyn.html
    http://www.dur.ac.uk/Archaeology/staff/CC/Dryslwyn.html
    http://www.acadat.com/HLC/HLCTowy/area/area224.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p48-9
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p77-8
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p78-9
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p27-8
    Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
    Webster, P., 1987, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’, in Kenyon, John R. and Avent, R. (eds), Castles in Wales and the Marches: essays in honour of D J Cathcart King, (Cardiff: University of Wales Press) p89–104
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p55
    Solomon, A., 1982, The Last Siege of Dryslwyn Castle (Lodwick)
    Avent, R. and Webster, P., 1981, Interim Reports of Excavations at Laugharne Castle, Dyfed, 1976-1980, and Dryslwyn Castle, Dyfed, 1980 (privately published)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p350
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p641-2
    Richard, A.J., 1935, in Lloyd, J.E. (ed), History of Carmathenshire (Cardiff) Vol1 p281-3
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p188-90
    RCAHMW, 1917, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Carmarthenshire (HMSO) p155-6
• Journal Articles
  • Caple, C., 1990, 'The castle and lifestyle of a 13th century independent Welsh lord ; excavations at Dryslwyn castle 1980-1988' Château Gaillard Vol14 p47-59
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T., 1985, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1984’, Medieval Archaeology Vol29 p229
    Webster, P., 1985, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’, 132nd annual meeting, old Carmarthenshire, 1985, CAA, p24
    Caple, C., 1984-5, ‘Dryslwyn, Dyfed’, CBA Newsletter and Calendar, Vol8 p138
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1984, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1983’, Medieval Archaeology Vol28 p263
    Arnold. C. et al, 1983. Interim reports on excavations at three castles in Wales 1981–1982. (Cardiff: Department of Extra-Mural Studies, University College)
    Webster, P.V. and Caple, C., 1983, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’, Archaeology in Wales Vol23 p55–7
    Webster, P.V., 1982-3, ‘Dryslwyn, Dyfed’, CBA Newsletter and Calendar, Vol6 p154
    Webster, P.V., 1982, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol22 p30–3
    Webster, P.V., 1981-2, ‘Dryslwyn, Dyfed’, CBA Newsletter and Calendar, Vol5 p144
    Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1982, ‘Medieval Britain in 1981’, Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p223-4
    Webster, P.V., 1981, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’, Archaeology in Wales Vol21 p56-7
    Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1981, ‘Medieval Britain in 1980’, Medieval Archaeology Vol25 p203
    Webster, P.V., 1980, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’, Archaeology in Wales Vol20 p56-8
    King, D.J.C., 1967, ‘Dryslwyn Castle’, The 114th Annual Meeting at Carmarthen, 1967, CAA p24-5
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Evans, 1906-7, Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Vol2 p198
    Evans, 1905-6, Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society Vol1 p52-4, 90-1
• Guidebooks
  • Rees, Sian E. and Caple, Chris ,1999, DINEFWR CASTLE — DRYSLWYN CASTLE (CADW)