Dolforwyn Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Castle at Abrunol; Abermule; Aber miwi; Bachyranneleu; Dolvoreyn; Castell Dol-y-Vorwyn

In the community of Llandyssil. In the historic county of Montgomeryshire (Modern authority of Powys, preserved county of Powys).

The remains of this castle, begun by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd ('the last') in 1273 and captured by the English in 1277, have recently been revealed by extensive archaeological excavations. Remains date from 1270s, although there are unsubstantiated claims that the castle has an earlier history, and was ruinous by the end of the C14. Roughly rectangular in plan, the walls, standing c1.5m high, are of roughly coursed local siltstone. The castle is bounded by a curtain wall and contains a substantial round tower at the end and a rectangular keep at the W. Ranges of rooms to NE, SE, and SW with the aisled hall to NW.

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 SO15189501

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 300392
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 50092 '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=67
    http://www.castlewales.com/dolforn.html
    http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/staff/sites/dolforwyn/menu.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/dolforwyn.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p189-92
    Gravett, Christopher, 2007, The Castles of Edward I in Wales 1277-1307 (Osprey Fortress series 64)
    Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p38-9 [plan]
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p147
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p78
    Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
    Avent, Richard, 1983, Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd (Cardiff)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
    Arnold, C. et al, 1983. Interim reports on excavations at three castles in Wales 1981-1982. (Cardiff: Department of Extra-Mural Studies, University College)
    Butler, L., 1981. Dolforwyn Castle. Interim Report on the Excavations 1981
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p349
    RCAHMW, 1911, An Inventory of Ancient Monuments in Montgomeryshire (HMSO) p8-9 No34
    Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol2 p3-4 [dimensions in yards, should be feet-Reprint of 1877 article]
    Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47800#s4
    Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol7 p93-5
• Journal Articles
  • Butler, L., 2000, 'The siege of Dolforwyn Castlein 1277' Château Gaillard Vol19 p25-6
    Butler, L., 1998. ‘Dolforwyn Castle. Abermule’ Archaeology in Wales Vol38
    Butler, L., 1995. ‘Dolforwyn Castle. Abermule’ Archaeology in Wales Vol35 p69
    Butler, L., 1995. ‘Dolforwyn Castle, Montgomery, Powys. Second report: the excavations 1987-1994' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol146 p133-203
    Butler, L., 1994. ‘Dolforwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol34 p72-4
    Butler, L., 1993. ‘Dolforwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol33 p82
    Butler, L., 1992. ‘Dolforwyn Castle. Powys’ Archaeology in Wales Vol32 p83-4
    Butler, L., 1992, Internationales Burgen Institut: Bulletin Vol47 p41-48
    Butler, L., 1991. ‘Dolforwyn Castle. Powys’ Archaeology in Wales Vol31 p48-9
    Butler, L., 1991, Dolforwyn Castle, Powys, Wales : excavations 1985-90’ Château Gaillard Vol15 p73-82
    Butler, L., 1991, Fortress Vol8 p15-24
    Butler, L., 1990, 'Dolforwyn - Welsh castle' Current Archaeology, Vol120 p418-423
    Butler, L., 1990. ‘Excavations at Dolforwyn Castle. Powys. 1986-90’ Archaeology in Wales Vol30 p19-20, 68-9
    Butler, L., 1989. ‘Dolforwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol29 p6
    Butler, L., 1989. ‘Dolforwyn Castle, Montgomery, Powys. First report: the excavations 1981-1986' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol138 p78-98
    Youngs, S.M. et al, 1988 ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1987’ Medieval Archaeology Vol32 p312 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T., 1987, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1986’ Medieval Archaeology Vol31 p197 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1986, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1985’ Medieval Archaeology Vol30 p263-4 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Butler, L., 1985, Dolforwyn Castle, Powys, Wales: excavations 1981-4’, Château Gaillard Vol12 p167-77
    Butler, L. and Arnold, C., 1985. ‘Dolforwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol25 p42
    Butler, L. and Arnold, C., 1984. ‘Dolforwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol24 p69-70
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1984, 'Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1983’ Medieval Archaeology Vol28 p228-9 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Butler, L., and Arnold, C., 1983. ‘Dolforwyn Castle’ Archaeology in Wales Vol23 p62-3
    Youngs, S.M., Clark, J. and Barry, T.B., 1983, ‘Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1982’ Medieval Archaeology Vol27 p227 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    Spurgeon, C.J., 1966, ‘The castles of Montgomeryshire’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol58 p39-42
    Craster, 1962, Programme Cambrian Archaeological Association Summer Meeting p24-5
    Lloyd, J.E., 1941, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies Vol10 p306-9
    Williams, R., 1901, 'Dolforwyn Castle and its Lords' Archaeologia CambrensisVol56 p299-317 [history]
    Williams, R., 1894, Montgomeryshire Collections Vol28 p145-64
    Clark, G.T., 1877, ‘The castle of Dolforwyn’. Montgomeryshire Collections Vol10 p326-328
• Guidebooks
  • Butler, L. and Knight, J.K., 2004, Dolforwyn Castle, Montgomery Castle (CADW)
• 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] p320-1
• 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) p54, 55, 125 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryinwales00lelauoft
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such.)
  • Butler. L. 1998. Dolforwyn Castle. Abermule. Powys (SO 152 950) - Interim Report on Excavations (July 4th - August 1st 1998)
    Butler. L. 1994. Dolforwyn Castle. Powys. Interim Report on Excavations July 3rd-July 30th 1994
    Butler. L. 1989. Dolforwyn Castle. Powys. Interim Report on Excavations: July 2nd - July 22nd 1989