Llandovery Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Canterbohhan; Cantref Bychan; Llanymddyfri; Llanymdyfri

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

Motte and bailey beside the river. D-shaped tower with fragments of twin-towered gatehouse and curtain on motte. Part of the curtain rests uncomfortably on a stepped foundation near the north angle, perhaps of C12 date. First mentioned in 1116, when the Welsh took the castle but failed to capture the tower. Its destruction in 1158 was followed by strengthening and garrisoning at royal expense in 1160-2. The castle was partly burned by Gruffydd ap Rhys in 1116,and doesn't appear to have been long held by the English after 1158 although 'its alterations were many'

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SN76773423

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 92751
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 4727 '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.castlewales.com/llandov.html
    http://www.cambria.org.uk/HLC/HLCTowy/area/area212.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/llandovery.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p98-9
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p54-5
    Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p87-8
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p98
    Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p36
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p122, 123
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p56
    Soulsby, I., 1983, The Towns of Medieval Wales (Phillimore)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p362
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p706 [slight]
    Richard, A.J., 1935, in Lloyd, J.E. (ed), History of Carmathenshire (Cardiff) Vol1 p273, 278-9
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p170
    RCAHMW, 1917, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Carmarthenshire (HMSO) p94-5
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p286
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p539
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47846#s13
• Journal Articles
  • 1990, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol139
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' The Archaeological Journal Vol143 p314
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    King, D.J.C., 1967, ‘Llandovery Castle’, The114th Annual Meeting at Carmarthen, 1967, CAA p29-30
    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
    Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol70 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp19-64
    1925, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol80 p453-4
• 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.1183, Description of Wales [http://www.building-history.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Primary/Gerald.htm]
    Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p130-1