Coity Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Coyty; Coety

In the community of Coity Higher.
In the historic county of Glamorgan (Modern authority of Bridgend, preserved county of Mid Glamorgan).

Although originally established soon after 1100, much of the castle dates from C14 and later. Parts were rebuilt following the siege by Owain Glyn Dwr in 1404-5. Sub-circular ditched enclosure, c.36-42m in diameter, with sub-rectangular enclosure, c.55m E-W by 36m, attached on the W, both are defined by ruins of towered cutain walls, with extensive remains of internal buildings. Castle thought to have been established in early C12, continuously occupied and added to up to C16, with occupation extending into the early C18. By C18 the castle was mostly ruined. The castle consists of a circular inner ward, with three story keep on NW side and C14 domestic block to the S side. To the NE of this block is the chapel, the interior of which only survives at basement level. A well has also survivied in the inner ward, along with some stone paving. The inner ward is enclosed on the N, E and S sides by a ditch with a faceted curtain wall, on the W side of which is an outer ward with curtain wall. The high outer ward curtain wall features a C15 gatehouse to W, which is now the main entrance.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
Timber 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 SS92308149

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; 94504

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 00370m

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=54
    http://www.castlewales.com/coity.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p623
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p93-4
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p65-6
    RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol3 pt1a: The Early Castles (London: HMSO) MR1 p218-58
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p47-48
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p163
    Davis, Paul R., 1983, Castles of Glamorgan (Alun Books) p31
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p341-2
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Bevan T., 1961, 'Coity Castle: a stronghold of the Vale' in Williams S (ed), The Garden of Wales (Cowbridge) p35-46
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p141-2
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p180-1
    Randall, Henry John, 1961, The Vale of Glamorgan, Studies in Landscape and History (Newport: R.H.Johns Ltd) p78-9
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p487-91 [abridged 1877 article]
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p465-6
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p381
    Homfray, Jeston, 1828, The Castles of the Lordship of Glamorgan (Cardiff) p27 and plate
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p398
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol7 p76-8
    Griffiths, R.A., n.d., Owain Glyndwr and the seige of Coety castle 1404-1405 (Coity Village Association)
    Pearce, D.J., n.d., A history of Coety Castle, its occupants and families (Coity Village Association)
• Journal Articles
  • Morgan, R., 2000, 'Coity Castles's [sic] curious cross loops' Postern Vol12 p407
    Spurgeon, Jack, 1987, 'The Castles of Glamorgan' Chateau Gaillard Vol13 p212-3
    Spurgeon, C.J., 1983, ‘Coity Castle’, 130th annual meeting, Vale of Glamorgan, 1983: programme, CAA p18–19
    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. 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
    Fox, 1928, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser7] Vol8 p385-6
    Clark, 1877, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser4] Vol8 p1-10
• Guidebooks
  • Kenyon, John R. and Spurgeon, Jack, 2001, COITY CASTLE, OGMORE CASTLE, NEWCASTLE (CADW)
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh, 1946, Coity Castle (HMSO)
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (Bell and Sons; London) Vol3 p33