Llandovery Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Canterbohhan; Cantref Bychan; Llanymddyfri; Llanymdyfri

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

Motte and bailey beside the river. D-shaped tower with fragments of twin-towered gatehouse and curtain on motte. Part of the curtain rests uncomfortably on a stepped foundation near the north angle, perhaps of C12 date. First mentioned in 1116, when the Welsh took the castle but failed to capture the tower. Its destruction in 1158 was followed by strengthening and garrisoning at royal expense in 1160-2. The castle was partly burned by Gruffydd ap Rhys in 1116,and doesn't appear to have been long held by the English after 1158 although 'its alterations were many'

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Timber 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 Grade 2* listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN76773423

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; 92751

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 4727

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/llandov.html
    http://www.acadat.com/HLC/HLCTowy/area/area212.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p54-5
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p87-8
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p98
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p36
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p122, 123
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p56
    Soulsby, I., 1983, The Towns of Medieval Wales (Phillimore)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p362
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p706 [slight]
    Richard, A.J., 1935, in Lloyd, J.E. (ed), History of Carmathenshire (Cardiff) Vol1 p273, 278-9
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p170
    RCAHMW, 1917, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Carmarthenshire (HMSO) p94-5
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p286
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p539
• Journal Articles
  • 1990, Archaeologia Cambrensis
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p314
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    King, D.J.C., 1967, ‘Llandovery Castle’, The114th Annual Meeting at Carmarthen, 1967, CAA p29-30
    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
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    1925, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol5 p453-4