Wales is sometimes called the "castle capital of the world" because of the large number of castles in a relatively small area. Wales had about 600 castles, of which over 100 are still standing, either as ruins or as restored buildings. The rest have returned to nature, and today consist of ditches, mounds, and earthworks, often in commanding positions. Many of the sites in Wales are cared for by Cadw, the Welsh government's historic environment service.
The four castles of Beaumaris, Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech together make up the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site, considered to be the "finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe".
Bridgend
Castles of which only earthworks, fragments, or nothing remains include:
Llangewydd Castle
Nolton Castle, Bridgend
Stormy Castle
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Candleston Castle
Fortified manor house
14th century
Ruined
Only the tower remains of a C14 fortified manor house built by the de Cantelupes.
Coity Castle
Keep and bailey
12th - 14th centuries
Ruined
Cadw
Prominently sited above Heol West Plas, Coity Castle was founded in the early twelfth century and was granted to the Norman family of Turberville.
Kenfig Castle
Keep and bailey
12th century
Fragmentary remains
The scanty remains of Kenfig Castle, a once great medieval fortress, rise from the dunes beside the Cynfig river.
Llangynwyd Castle
12th century
Fragmentary remains
At Llangynwyd the remains of a once splendid medieval fortress are now reduced to scanty ruins and earthworks.
Newcastle
Enclosure castle
12th century
Ruined
Cadw
The castle's most outstanding feature is its complete Norman doorway, which greets the visitor approaching the castle from the south.
Caerphilly
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Caerphilly Castle
Concentric castle
13th - 14th century
Ruined, with partial restoration
Cadw
Caerphilly is the largest medieval castle in Wales and one of the most impressive in Europe.
Morgraig Castle
Enclosure castle
13th century
Fragmentary remains
Built between 1243 and 1267, the form of the castle is unusual and has no comparisons elsewhere. Debate has centred on whether the castle was built by the Welsh Lords of Senghenydd, or by the Norman Lords of Glamorgan.
Ruperra Castle
Mock castle
17th century
Ruined
Private
Built c1626 by Sir Thomas Morgan, steward to the Earl of Pembroke, and the latest example of the Elizabethan and Jacobean court taste for castellated mansions.
Ruperra Motte
Motte and bailey
12th century
Ruined, with partial restoration
Ruperra Conservation Trust
The site includes remains of a medieval castle motte on a much earlier Iron Age hillfort.
Cardiff
Castles of which only earthworks or nothing remains include:
Caer Castell Camp
Morganstown Castle Mound
Treoda Castle Mound
Twmpath Castle
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Cardiff Castle
Shell Keep
11th century
Ruined, with partial restoration
Cardiff Council
Cardiff Castle was established within the walls of a mighty Roman fort by William I of England in about 1081.
Castell Coch
Gothic Revival
19th century (Originally 11th century)
Intact
Cadw
Castell Coch, located on a prominent wooded hillside overlooking the Taff Valley and the northern part of Cardiff, is a remarkable blend of solid medieval masonry and High Victorian Gothic fantasy.
St Fagans Castle
Enclosure castle
13th century
Ruined
National Museum Wales
The remains of the medieval castle at St Fagans include the southern part of a stone curtain wall. The enclosure is currently overlain by an Elizabethan mansion, with part of the surviving curtain serving to define its forecourt.
Bishop's Palace, Llandaff
Concentric castle
13th century
Ruined
Cardiff Council
Bishop's Palace is also known as Llandaff Castle or Bishop's Castle
Carmarthenshire
Castles of which only earthworks or nothing remains include:
Allt y Ferin
Banc y Bettws
Bank Llwyndomen
Castell Aber Cafwy
Castell Bach
Castell Du
Castell Llwyn Bedw
Castell Mawr
Castell Meurig
Castell Moel
Castell Nonni
Castell Pencader
Castell y Domen
Castell y Garreg
Castell y Rhingyll
Castelldwyran
Garn Fawr Motte
Glan Mynys Mount
Hendy Castle
Llanddowror Motte
Llandre Egremont
Llanelli Old Castle
Llanglydwen
Llanllwni Mount
Parc y Domen
Pen y Cnap
Pencastell
Roche Castle
St Clears
Talley Mound
Tir y Dail Motte
Tomenlawddog
Tomenseba
Waun Ddu
Waun Tympath
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Carmarthen Castle
Shell Keep
11th century
Ruined
Carmarthenshire Council
Remains of the high medieval castle, including a shell keep, gatehouse and two towers, are obscured by modern buildings, notably County Hall.
Carreg Cennen Castle
Enclosure castle
13th century
Ruined
Cadw
Spectacularly set on a crag over the upper Cennen valley. A vaulted passage runs from the SE corner to a cave below E outer ward.
Dinefwr Castle
12th century
Cadw
Dinefwr castle is thought to have been founded in the later twelfth century by Rhys ap Gruffudd, the Lord Rhys, and became known as the traditional capital of Dyfed.
Dryslwyn Castle
13th century
Cadw
The shattered ruins of a medieval castle crown the ultimate summit of a dramatically isolated and abrupt hill rising from the Tywi floodplain.
Kidwelly Castle
12th century and earlier
Cadw
Kidwelly Castle is an imposing ruin, situated on a scarp above the upper tidal limit of the Gwendraeth Fach Estuary, and considered one of the finest castles in Wales.
Laugharne Castle
13th century
Cadw
The castle of Laugharne was built by the Anglo-Normans in the early twelfth century and is probably mentioned in 1116, but the existing ruins are thirteenth century and later.
Llandovery Castle
11th century
Llandovery Castle is a motte and bailey castle first mentioned in 1113. Extensive remains of masonry walls and towers occupy the motte, and a shell keep enclosure is represented by half-buried footings.
Llansteffan Castle
12th century
Cadw
Prominently situated on a rocky promontory, overlooking the mouth of the Tywi. Substantial and impressive remains of a rubble masonry castle dating from the C12 to C15.
Castell Moel
16th century
Shattered ruins of a possibly 16th but probably 17th century house ruins; an early wing was incorporated into large cruciform renaissance house.
Newcastle Emlyn Castle
13th & 15th century
Shattered ruins remain of Newcastle Emlyn Castle. Excavation through the 1980s have revealed some details, but the castle is best known from a collection of medieval accounts and surveys.
Ceredigion
Castles of which only earthworks or nothing remains include:
Aberdyfi Castle
Adpar Motte
Blaenporth Castle
Caer Penrhos
Castell Abereinon
Castell Cadwgan
Castell Caerwedros
Castell Dol Wllf
Castell Gwallter
Castell Gwynionydd
Castell Hywel
Castell Llwyn Gwinau
Castell Nant y Garan
Castell Pistog
Castell Pridd
Castell Trefilan
Crugyn Dimai
Dinerth Castle
Lampeter Castle
Llanrhystud Castle
Llanwnen Castle
Llwynduris Castle
Manian Fawr
Nant yr Arian Castle
Nantperchellan
Pen y Castell, Llanilar
Penycastell, Eithin-gleision
Rheidol Castle
St Marys Old Church Motte
Tan y Castell
Tomen Llanio
Tomen Rhyd Owen
Ystrad Meurig Castle
Ystrad Peithyll
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Aberystwyth Castle
Concentric castle
13th century
Ruined
Aberystwyth Town Council
Work on Aberystwyth Castle commenced in 1277 under Edward I and was completed in 1289. The castle remains have been much restored and now form part of a public park.
Cardigan Castle
13th century
Ceredigion County Council
Situated on promontory overlooking Cardigan Bridge. Portions of the curtain wall survive in the tall embankment overlooking the bridge. There are remains of three semi-circular towers, the largest & most elaborate incorporated into the early C19 Castle Green House
Castles of which only earthworks, fragments or nothing remains include:
Dinas Powis
Wrinstone Castle
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Barry Castle
13th - 14th century
Cadw
Fonmon Castle
14th century
Private
Hensol Castle
18th century
Private
Ogmore Castle
12th century
Cadw
Old Beaupre Castle
16th century
Cadw
Penmark Castle
12th century
St Donat's Castle
12th century
Atlantic College
St Quintins Castle
14th century
Cadw
Wrexham
Name
Image
Type
Date
Condition
Ownership / Access
Notes
Chirk Castle
13th century
National Trust
Holt Castle
13th century
See also
List of castles
Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
Castles in England
Castles in Scotland
Castles in Northern Ireland
Castles in the Isle of Man
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