Coity Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Coyty; Coety

In the community of Coity Higher. In the historic county of Glamorgan (Modern authority of Bridgend, preserved county of Mid Glamorgan).

Although originally established soon after 1100, much of the castle dates from C14 and later. Parts were rebuilt following the siege by Owain Glyn Dwr in 1404-5. Sub-circular ditched enclosure, c.36-42m in diameter, with sub-rectangular enclosure, c.55m E-W by 36m, attached on the W, both are defined by ruins of towered cutain walls, with extensive remains of internal buildings. Castle thought to have been established in early C12, continuously occupied and added to up to C16, with occupation extending into the early C18. By C18 the castle was mostly ruined. The castle consists of a circular inner ward, with three story keep on NW side and C14 domestic block to the S side. To the NE of this block is the chapel, the interior of which only survives at basement level. A well has also survivied in the inner ward, along with some stone paving. The inner ward is enclosed on the N, E and S sides by a ditch with a faceted curtain wall, on the W side of which is an outer ward with curtain wall. The high outer ward curtain wall features a C15 gatehouse to W, which is now the main entrance.

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 SS92308149

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 94504
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 00370m '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=54
    http://www.castlewales.com/coity.html
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/coity.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p141-3
    Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p623
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p93-4
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p65-6
    RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol3 pt1a: The Early Castles (London: HMSO) MR1 p218-58
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p47-48
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p163
    Davis, Paul R., 1983, Castles of Glamorgan (Alun Books) p31
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p341-2
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Bevan T., 1961, 'Coity Castle: a stronghold of the Vale' in Williams S (ed), The Garden of Wales (Cowbridge) p35-46
    Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p141-2
    Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p180-1
    Randall, Henry John, 1961, The Vale of Glamorgan, Studies in Landscape and History (Newport: R.H.Johns Ltd) p78-9
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p487-91 [abridged 1877 article]
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p465-6
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p381
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47816#s4
    Homfray, Jeston, 1828, The Castles of the Lordship of Glamorgan (Cardiff) p27 and plate
    Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p398
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol7 p76-8
    Griffiths, R.A., n.d., Owain Glyndwr and the seige of Coety castle 1404-1405 (Coity Village Association)
    Pearce, D.J., n.d., A history of Coety Castle, its occupants and families (Coity Village Association)
• Journal Articles
  • Griffiths, Ralph A., 2001, 'Owain Glyndwr and the Siege of Coity Castle' Morgannwy Vol45
    Morgan, R., 2000, 'Coity Castles's [sic] curious cross loops' Postern Vol12 p407
    Spurgeon, Jack, 1987, 'The Castles of Glamorgan' Chateau Gaillard Vol13 p212-3
    Spurgeon, C.J., 1983, ‘Coity Castle’, 130th annual meeting, Vale of Glamorgan, 1983: programme, CAA p18–19
    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. 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
    Fox, Cyril, 1928, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol83 p385-6
    Clark, G.T., 1877, 'Coyty Castle and Lordship' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol32 p1-10
• Guidebooks
  • Kenyon, John R. and Spurgeon, Jack, 2001, COITY CASTLE, OGMORE CASTLE, NEWCASTLE (CADW)
    Radford, C.A.Ralegh, 1946, Coity Castle (HMSO)
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p205-6
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1906, Leland's Itinerary in Wales (Bell and Sons; London) p33 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryinwales00lelauoft