The Gatehouse website record for Dinas Emrys Castle

In the community of Beddgelert. In the historic county of Caernarfonshire (Modern authority of Gwynedd, preserved county of Gwynedd).

Hillfort here was inhabited in C5, and there is speculation that it may have been the residence of Vortigern. Later legends associate the place with Merlin the Magician and the Arthurian legends. In C9, Nennius told the tale that two dragons fought beneath the hill of Dinas Emrys. One dragon was white, representing the Saxons, and one dragon was red, representing the Britons (Welsh Celts). In C13 a stone keep, possibly erected by Llewelyn ap Iorwerth was built atop the hill.
A complex stone-walled fort occupying the summit of a volcanic outcrop overlooking the Gwynant valley. This is traditionally the site where Vortigern attempted to build a fortress and where the boy Merlin prophesied about dragons. Excavations, in 1910 and 1954-6, have produced evidence for Iron Age, Roman and early Medieval (Dark Age) occupation, whilst some of the surviving stone work is also thought to be medieval in date. The fort extends over an area of about 200m east-west by 100m. The main, inner enclosure has an entrance on the west beyond which are two further lines of walls with gateways, the lowest close to the foot of the rock. The route up through the three gates is torturous, involving blind alleys and zigzags. The razor back ridge connecting the rock to the mountain proper offers a relatively straightforward approach. At the highest point of the hill top are the remains of an oblong stone keep 13m by 11m, of medieval date. This is thought to one of a small cluster of early stone-built castles constructed in Gwynedd at the end of the twelfth century, together with Castell Aber Ia (Castell Deudraeth) (NPRN 302700), Carn Fadrun (NPRN 95275), Tomen Castell (NPRN 303046) and Castell Pen-y-garn (NPRN 407747). These were not placed to withstand alien invasion, but were rather an expression of a Prince's power and lordship in the unsettled period following the death of Owain Gwynedd in 1170 and the subsequent division of the county between his sons. (Coflein)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SH606492

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 95284
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 1462 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

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 individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Ancient Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.