Laugharne Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Abercorran; Abercorram; Talacharn; Talcharn; Talachar

In the community of Laugharne Township. In the historic county of Carmarthenshire (Modern authority of Carmarthenshire, preserved county of Dyfed).

Established in the early C12 as an earthwork castle, Laugharne was rebuilt in stone by the Anglo-Norman de Brian family during the later C13 and early C14. It was converted into a Tudor mansion by Sir John Perrot in the later C16. The castle was partly destroyed during the Civil War, after which some of the remains were pillaged for stone for local houses. 5-sided inner ward of red sandstone rubble with crenellated parapets. Earliest section comprises 2 round towers to N and the keep to the NW. The towers flank a C15 4-storey hall. 4-storey gatehouse to W. Section of curtain wall joins the gatehouse to a garderobe to SW.
A castle brown as owls. (Dylan Thomas)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN30201073

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 95634
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 2156 '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.

• Web site links
  • http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=84
    http://www.castlewales.com/laugharn.html
    http://www.greatcastlesofwales.co.uk/laugharne.htm
    http://www.cambria.org.uk/HLC/EstuaryArea/area149.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/laugharne.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/159/laugharne.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p95-7
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p53-4
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p46, 84-6 [reconstructions]
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p97
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p34-5 [plan]
    Avent, J.R., 1991, 'The Early Development of Three Coastal Castles' in James, H. (ed), Sir Gar: Studies in Carmarthenshire History (Carmarthen) p167-188
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p56
    Arnold, C. et al, 1983. Interim reports on excavations at three castles in Wales 1981–1982. (Cardiff: Department of Extra-Mural Studies, University College)
    Avent, J.R. and Webster, P., 1981, Interim Reports of Excavations at Laugharne Castle, Dyfed, 1976-1980, and Dryslwyn Castle, Dyfed, 1980 (privately published)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p361-2
    Avent, J.R., 1977, ‘Laugharne Castle’, Archaeological Excavations 1976 (HMSO) p169
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Richard, A.J., 1935, in Lloyd, J.E. (ed), History of Carmathenshire (Cardiff) Vol1 p286-7, 290
    RCAHMW, 1917, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Carmarthenshire (HMSO) p62-3
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p288
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47840#s11
    Grose, Francis, 1787, The Antiquities of England and Wales (London) Vol7 p12-13
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p364
• Journal Articles
  • Avent, J.R. and Jones, M., 1993, ‘Laugharne Castle’, Archaeology in Wales Vol33 p70-72
    Avent, J.R., 1992, ‘The medieval development of Laugharne Castle, Dyfed, Wales’ Chateau Gaillard Vol15 p7-18
    Avent, J.R., 1988, ‘Laugharne Castle Excavations, 1976-1988’ Archaeology in Wales Vol28 p24-27
    Murphy, K., 1987, Notes on the topography of Laugharne’ The Carmarthen Antiquary Vol23 p62–5
    Avent, J.R., 1985, ‘Laugharne Castle, Dyfed’ 132nd annual meeting, old Carmarthenshire, 1985, CAA, p17
    Avent, J.R., 1979-80, 'Laugharne Castle’ CBA Newsletter and Calendar Vol3 p131
    Avent, J.R., 1979, ‘Laugharne Castle, 1978: third interim report’ The Carmarthen Antiquary Vol15 p39-56
    Avent, J.R., 1978, ‘Laugharne Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol18 p55
    Avent, J.R., 1978, ‘Laugharne Castle, 1977: second interim report’ The Carmarthen Antiquary Vol14 p21-36
    Avent, J.R., 1977-8, ‘Laugharne, Dyfed’ CBA Newsletter and Calendar Vol1 p108
    Avent, J.R. and Read, E., 1977. ‘Laugharne Castle, 19766: introduction, historical summary and excavations’ The Carmarthen Antiquary Vol13 p17-41
    (Avent in) Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1977, ‘Medieval Britain in 1976’ Medieval Archaeology Vol21 p240 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Avent, J.R., 1976, ‘Laugharne Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol16 p38
    Thomas, S., 1970, 'The Descent of the Lordships of Laugharne and Eglwyscummin: Norman Marcher Lordships in South-West Carmarthenshire' The Carmarthen Antiquary Vol6 p27-52
    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
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 p249-280 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p90-121] http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8266%28195904%2974%3A291%3C249%3AALOC1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-P
• Guidebooks
  • Richard Avent, 1995, LAUGHARNE CASTLE (CADW)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Giraldus Cambrensis, c.1188, Journey Through Wales [http://www.building-history.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Primary/Gerald2.htm]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p130
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#caerm4]