Caerau Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Kayre; Cayre

In the community of Caerau. In the historic county of Glamorgan (Modern authority of Cardiff, preserved county of South Glamorgan).

Ringwork in IA fort. Ruined church in possible bailey. An oval enclosure, c.40m NW-SE by 22m, defined by a rampart and ditch, resting on the NE angle of Caerau ramparts, having an entrance facing SW towards St Mary's church. Thought to be an unrecorded castle belonging to the Bishops of Llandaff. The now ruined church of St Mary's became a parish church after the reformation but was originally a chapel of Llandaf. The hill fort could certainly have been used as a burgus defence and the presence of a chapel here suggests there was some sort of settlement in the hill fort.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Urban Defence.

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 ST13377498

Web site links

http://www.castlewales.com/caerau.html

Books

Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p111
Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p75 [slight]
RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol3 pt1a: The Early Castles (London: HMSO) CR4 p86-9
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p161
Davis, Paul R., 1983, Castles of Glamorgan (Alun Books) p47
Hague, D.B., 1971, in Pugh, T.B. (ed), Glamorgan County History Vol3 The Middle Ages (Cardiff) p438
Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47806#s12 [as Roman camp]

Journal Articles

King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Chateau Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
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
1913, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol68 p103

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Caerau Castle

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST13377498

Sources of information, references and further reading