Castell Meredydd

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Machen

In the community of Graig. In the historic county of Monmouthshire (Modern authority of Newport, preserved county of Gwent).

A roughly rectangular enclosure, c.56m E-W by 30-56m, defined by banks and ditches to E and W and by a scarp terraced into rising ground on the N, has an irregular ditched mound/outcrop, resting on cliffs to the S. The mound carries traces of two masonry buildings, one of them a c.10m diameter round structure, and it is thought that the enclosure was walled. Castle thought to have been established by c.1200, last mentioned 1314 - as owned by Gilbert de Clare. The only native Welsh castle in Gwent.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST225887

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 307828
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 00028g '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/machen.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p242 [listed]
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p125
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p53-4
    Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p14
    Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p285
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p365
• Journal Articles
  • Dallimore, K.L., 1978-80, ‘An archaeological survey of the Machen Ridge, Monmouthshire’, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies Vol28 p469-503 [see p483,486-8]
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1970, 'Castles in Wales and the Marches (Additions and corrections to lists published in 1963 and 1967)' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol119 p119-124
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Renn, D.F., 1961, 'The round keeps of the Brecon region' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol110 p143
    1927-8, Monmouthshire and Caerleon Antiquarian Association p11-15 [rather poor history only]
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Vol5 no538 [10 July 1314]