The Gatehouse website record for Cardigan Old Castle Motte

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Aberteifi; Dingeraint; Dingereint

In the community of Cardigan. In the historic county of Cardiganshire (Modern authority of Ceredigion, preserved county of Dyfed).

Ringwork castle built here as early as 1093, probably by the Norman, Roger de Montgomery. The castles fate is clouded with discrepancies. Apparently, the Welsh attacked Cardigan Old Castle in 1094, and it may have been occupied for a brief time by Cadwgan (a prince of Powys, who died in 1111). Various sources claim the original motte castle; was abandoned shortly after the Welsh uprising; was destroyed in 1165; was replaced c. 1110 by another earth and timber castle, strategically sited to guard the river crossing; or was abandoned "at some unknown time", in favour of the new location. Slight rampart and ditch cut off a cliff-top promontory, set above the Teifi estuary. There is a causewayed entrance. This monument has been integrated into the historical narrative of medieval Cardigan as the first Norman castle, but may be an earlier medieval or IA enclosure.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN16424640

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 304070
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 1068 '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.

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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.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.

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.

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