Castell Crugerydd

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Crug Eryr; Cruker; Llanfihancel Nant Melan; castrum Crukeri

In the community of New Radnor.
In the historic county of Radnorshire (Modern authority of Powys, preserved county of Powys).

Minor motte and bailey castle built on a commanding hill. Although still prominent on the landscape, the castle and surrounding earthworks appear to have been altered and damaged over the years, making it somewhat difficult to ascertain the site's original form. The castle's present form consists of a D-shaped bailey platform rising above a surrounding ditch, adjoining a motte that is protected by its own ditch. The ditch and rampart are noticeably stronger on the eastern side of the castle, and a causeway (entrance?) to the south crosses the ditch-work there. Possibly had stone curtain wall. A roughly square enclosure, 40m across, defined by a bank and ditch, 63m by 60m overall, has a 26m diameter, 4.5m high ditched mound set over its NW angle. This castle was probably built by Cadwallon ap Madog, d.1177, and was mentioned as a castle of his son Maelgwn in 1188 by Giraldus Cambrenis

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO15755929

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; 306085

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 985

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/crug.html
• Books
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p56
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p181
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p50
    Remfry, P., 1996, Castles of Radnorshire (Logaston Press) p107-9
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p222-3
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p409
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p345
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    RCAHMW, 1913, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Radnorshire (HMSO) p91-3
• Journal Articles
  • 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
    Rees, W., 1960, ‘Crugerudd castle’ Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol108 p157-8
    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