Castell Gwain Goch, Penrhyndeudraeth

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Deudraeth; Deudrait; Castell Aber Iâ; Portmeirion

In the community of Penrhyndeudraeth.
In the historic county of Merioneth (Modern authority of Gwynedd, preserved county of Gwynedd).

The original Deudraeth Castle was built by Gruffydd ap Cynan beginning about 1175, making it one of the earliest Welsh castles to be built in stone (although possibly a drystone construction rather than masonry). That castle is mentioned by Geraldus de Cambrensis in his "Journeys through Wales". Little of that earlier castle remained in the mid C19 when the property was aquired by David Williams. Williams, a wealthy attorney, built a fanciful villa in mock-Gothic style on a high promontory overlooking Portmeiron village.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Nothing visible remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SH58833715

Sources of information, references and further reading

Web site links

http://www.castlewales.com/deud.html

Books

Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p120
Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p39
Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
Avent, Richard, 1983, Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd (Cardiff)
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p277
Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
RCAHMW, 1921, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Merionethshire (HMSO) p161

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
Hemp, W.J., 1949, ‘Castell Aber-Ia’, 96th Annual Meeting: Programme, 1949, CAA, p21 [reprinted in the 1971 Harlech programme p30-l]
Hemp, W.J., 1949, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol100 p311-12
Morris, 1927, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol82 p355-64

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

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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