Rumney Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Rhymney; Cae Castell; Reigni; Remni; Renni; Remmi

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

Small ringwork historically part of the marcher lordship of Gwynllwg, was situated above a steep natural scarp overlooking the river Rhymney. First mentioned in A.D. 1184-85, the castle guarded the western boundary of the lordship and the river crossing. The defenses consisted of a ditch and clay rampart constructed around three sides of the site. Initially incorporated into the defenses along the fourth side was a large timber building and possibly a palisade. The entrance was originally defended by a large timber gate tower, later superseded by a smaller timber structure. Following this, the defences were strengthened by the widening of the rampart and the construction of a small tower or keep alongside the entrance. Several phases of timber building, including two large halls, were arranged around a courtyard. During a later period the entrance was relocated and a stone gate tower constructed.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST21037893

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 300453
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 00618s '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/rumney.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p238 [listed]
    Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p110-164
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press)
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p129
    Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p303-9
    RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol3 pt1a: The Early Castles (London: HMSO) MR7 p296-303
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p61
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p287
    Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1982, ‘“Cae Castell”, Rumney, Cardiff — final interim report' Annual Report 1981-82, (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p1-7
    Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1981, ‘Cae Castell, Rumney, Cardiff‘ Annual Report 1980-81 (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust,) p11-15
    Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1980, ‘An interim report on the excavation of Cae Castell, Rumney, Cardiff' Annual Report 1979-80, (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p9-12
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p377
    1978, ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’, Annual Report 1977-78, (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p6-9
    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) p650-1
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p297
    Coxe, W., 1801, Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol1 p63n plan acing p75
• Journal Articles
  • Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1992, 'Rumney Castle: A Ringwork and Manorial Centre in South Glamorgan' Medieval Archaeology Vol36 p96-163 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    1982, Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p225 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1981, ‘Medieval Britain in 1980’, Medieval Archaeology Vol25 p202-3 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1981 ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Archaeology in Wales Vol21 p60-2
    Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1980 ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Archaeology in Wales Vol20 p71-2
    Lewis, J.M. and Boon, G.C., 1980, ‘Archaeological notes: Rumney, Cae Castell’, Morgannwg Vol24 p91, 94-5
    Lightfoot K.W.B. and Stanley, P., 1979, ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Archaeology in Wales Vol19 p40
    Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1978, ‘Medieval Britain in 1977’, Medieval Archaeology Vol22 p263 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust [Spurgeon and Thomas], 1978, ‘Archaeological notes: Rumney Castle, Cardiff’, Morgannwg Vol22 p87
    Spurgeon and Thomas, 1974, Archaeology in Wales Vol14 p37-8
    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
• 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]