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425:, who have stabilised and, to a limited extent, restored some of the remains. The castle is accessed via a steep climb up the hill from Castell Farm, which is near the car park. A large threshing barn has been converted to tearooms and a shop, whilst the majority of the farm buildings, around a traditional farmyard, retain their agricultural purposes. Since 1982 these have been part of a farm park with rare and unusual breeds of cows and sheep. This castle did not have a keep as such; the gatehouse acted as the castle's keep because this was the tallest part of the Castell Carreg.
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457:. This disturbance is probably also responsible for the alignment of the Afon Cennen to the west of this location where the river follows the line of the fault for over 2.5 mi / 4 km because firstly glaciers during the Ice Age then more recently the river have found it easier to erode these deformed rocks.
639:
painted the castle in 1798. The second Earl Cawdor began an extensive renovation in the 19th century, and in 1932 Carreg Cennen was given to the guardianship of the Office of Works. In the 1960s Carreg Cennen Castle was acquired by the Morris family of
Castell Farm, when Lord Cawdor's legal team made
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over deep pits protected the access to the inner ward. In the south-east corner of the inner ward steps lead to a vaulted passage and a natural cave beneath the castle, which leads deep into the hillside. A freshwater spring rises in the cave, which would have been a useful supplement during dry
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Carreg Cennen Castle consists of a strongly-walled and towered square court. There are six towers, all of different shapes, including a great twin-towered gatehouse on the north side. A range of apartments on the east side of the inner court, or ward, includes a hall, kitchens, chapel, and the
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and the castle was handed over to the
English. In 1282, a second phase of fighting began and the local Welsh nobles switched sides, joining the widespread Welsh rebellion and seizing control of the castle. By the following year it was back in English hands.
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a mistake in the wording of the deeds and included the castle as part of the farm. Today, the castle remains privately owned by
Margaret and Bernard Llewellyn, daughter and son in law of the late Mr. Gwilim Morris. The castle is now maintained by
703:
552:
where
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was killed. Giffard was probably responsible for the remodelled castle we see today; reconstruction occurred in phases, and it is likely the work was completed under his son, John.
315:, the English gained control of the castle. It was briefly retaken by Welsh forces in 1282, but was back under English control by the following year, when it was granted to the English baron
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For the next 30 years it changed hands frequently between Rhys and his uncle
Maredudd, who were fighting for control of the Kingdom of Deheubarth. In 1277, at the start of the
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windows, one facing into the courtyard, the other outwards commanding impressive views to the south. These date from the late 13th or early 14th century.
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Human remains found in a cave inside the limestone rock date human activity here back to prehistoric times. The site may well have also been an
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from the 1st and 2nd century have also been found, although it is unlikely the Romans occupied this site on a permanent basis.
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to the south and rock-cut ditches to the west. To the north and east there is an outer ward, and within that a
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which form a part of the disturbance. In contrast, the immediately surrounding countryside is underlain by
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in 1461 forced
Gruffudd's sons to surrender the castle. The Yorkists subsequently set about demolishing (
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The damage was repaired in 1409, and by the mid-fifteenth century had come into the possession of the
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dynasty for the next 50 years. The earliest documented mention of the castle is 1248, when
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against
English rule in 1287, although he did not retain control of the castle for long.
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The castle visible today was probably constructed by John
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English, but before the
English took possession of it Rhys captured the castle.
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so-called 'King's
Chamber'. This chamber has a well-carved stone fireplace, and
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798:(First ed.). Llandyssul, Ceredigion: Gomer Press. pp. 73, 81.
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The cliff below the castle, and the windows of the passage to the cave
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Towers of Defiance: Castles and Fortifications of the Welsh Princes
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families, and from the 18th century it started to attract artists.
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in filling the rainwater cisterns. The castle is under the care of
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Llewellyn, Bernard (2006). "Castell Farm". In Lewis, J.M. (ed.).
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437:, a zone of ancient geological faults and folds stretching from
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776:, a children's historical novel set at Carreg Cennen Castle
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The south-east wall and cliff face of Carreg Cennen Castle
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1116:...most romantically situated of all Welsh castles...
1114:, house journal of the Welsh steelworks. March 1956.
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631:Ownership of the castle passed to the Vaughan and
417:weather when the castle would have had difficulty
709:View from the Castle overlooking the River Cennen
575:Carreg Cennen Castle , Wales, view from the road
16:Castle in Carmarthenshire, Wales, United Kingdom
977:(1st ed.). Talybont, Ceredigion: Y Lolfa.
494:The first masonry castle was probably built by
1038:Lloyd, T.; Orbach, J.; Scourfield, R. (2006).
516:, to spite her son, granted the castle to the
490:Carreg Cennen Castle, Wales, south facing view
449:of Carboniferous Limestone trapped within two
254:sited on a high rocky outcrop overlooking the
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326:). The castle was unsuccessfully besieged by
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685:View of the rocky outcrop from the west side
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1269:Grade I listed buildings in Carmarthenshire
286:meaning lichen or perhaps a personal name.
280:castle on a rock next to (the river) Cennen
31:
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794:Owen, Hywel Wyn; Morgan, Richard (2007).
548:, the commander of the English troops at
559:briefly captured Carreg Cennen during a
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796:Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales
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697:Entrance to the cave under the Castle
400:The castle is protected by limestone
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757:Castles in Great Britain and Ireland
498:, and remained a possession of the
721:Inner courtyard in a ruinous state
396:The castle from the South, c. 1830
14:
1088:"Carreg Cennen Castle & Farm"
733:View over the whole rocky outcrop
661:View from the field when arriving
745:Castle's cliff as we move upward
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346:in 1462 to prevent further use.
300:castle, possibly constructed by
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1274:Grade I listed castles in Wales
1068:"BGS Geological Map Sheet 230"
1040:Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion
368:historic environment service.
1:
1135:Carreg Cennen Castle and Farm
956:Carreg Cennen Castle and Farm
623:) it with a team of 500 men.
525:conquest of Wales by Edward I
356:). It is situated within the
313:conquest of Wales by Edward I
296:was originally the site of a
1130:Cadw - Castell Carreg Cennen
1049:Castles in Wales: a Handbook
1023:: Welsh Historic Monuments.
1000:: Welsh Historic Monuments.
358:Brecon Beacons National Park
351:
321:
306:
1183:Banc y Betws (Llangyndeyrn)
1112:Richard Thomas and Baldwins
1074:. British Geological Survey
510:Rhys Fychan ap Rhys Mechyll
262:, four miles south east of
1290:
1259:Castles in Carmarthenshire
1092:www.carregcennencastle.com
617:Battle of Mortimer's Cross
360:and is now in the care of
338:it was surrendered to the
258:, close to the village of
212:Demolition by Yorkists in
1178:
607:, Carreg Cennen became a
435:Carreg Cennen Disturbance
233:
71:
59:
49:
28:
1042:. Yale University Press.
767:List of castles in Wales
1051:. Tal-y-bont: Y Lolfa.
1047:Morgan, Gerald (2008).
973:Davis, Paul R. (2021).
762:List of Cadw properties
191:Carboniferous Limestone
1066:Pillay, Ruven (1977).
576:
544:granted the castle to
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1264:Castle ruins in Wales
673:View of the Arrowslit
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489:
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276:Castell Carreg Cennen
248:Castell Carreg Cennen
175:Castell Carreg Cennen
33:Castell Carreg Cennen
1017:Carreg Cennen Castle
1015:Lewis, J.M. (2006).
994:Carreg Cennen Castle
599:. Its custodian was
529:Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
461:Prehistoric evidence
419:harvesting rainwater
240:Carreg Cennen Castle
91:Carreg Cennen Castle
24:Carreg Cennen Castle
601:Gruffudd ap Nicolas
579:In early July 1403
120: /
597:Duchy of Lancaster
587:of Herefordshire.
585:Sir John Scudamore
577:
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204:following a siege.
153:Postcode: SA19 6UA
124:51.8546°N 3.9349°W
1246:
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1106:"Carreg Cennen".
1072:webapps.bgs.ac.uk
1058:978-1-84771-031-4
984:978-1-912631-30-8
944:Lloyd et al. 2006
605:Wars of the Roses
591:Wars of the Roses
567:Glyndŵr rebellion
514:Matilda de Braose
505:Brut y Tywysogion
455:Old Red Sandstone
336:Wars of the Roses
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1095:. Retrieved
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966:Bibliography
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482:Welsh period
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332:Welsh Revolt
317:John Giffard
298:native Welsh
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256:River Cennen
239:
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197:Battles/wars
181:Site history
30:
18:
1238:Rhyd-y-gors
1223:Llansteffan
1170:Castles in
1019:. Cardiff:
996:. Cardiff:
932:Morgan 2008
917:Morgan 2008
887:Morgan 2008
875:Pillay 1977
609:Lancastrian
476:Roman coins
414:drawbridges
372:Description
354: 1322
330:during the
324: 1299
309: 1197
127: /
103:Coordinates
1253:Categories
1218:Llandovery
1188:Carmarthen
1097:1 November
1078:1 November
902:Davis 2021
851:Lewis 2006
836:Ingot 1956
824:Davis 2021
781:References
512:'s mother
500:Deheubarth
443:Shropshire
150:SN66841911
112:51°51′17″N
1213:Laugharne
621:slighting
561:rebellion
410:gatehouse
379:traceried
294:precipice
291:limestone
264:Llandeilo
228:– Grade I
186:Materials
163:Condition
115:3°56′06″W
1208:Kidwelly
1203:Dryslwyn
751:See also
542:Edward I
540:In 1283
470:hillfort
467:Iron Age
412:. Three
406:barbican
344:slighted
340:Yorkists
54:, Wales
1198:Dinefwr
648:Gallery
613:Yorkist
550:Cilmeri
429:Geology
250:) is a
171:Website
1055:
1027:
1004:
981:
802:
633:Cawdor
518:Norman
451:faults
402:cliffs
364:, the
278:means
252:castle
209:Events
189:local
166:Ruined
36:
1108:Ingot
272:Wales
244:Welsh
40:Welsh
1099:2022
1080:2022
1053:ISBN
1025:ISBN
1021:Cadw
1002:ISBN
998:Cadw
979:ISBN
800:ISBN
642:Cadw
433:The
423:Cadw
362:Cadw
342:and
260:Trap
441:to
284:cen
266:in
1255::
1110:.
1090:.
1070:.
924:^
909:^
894:^
843:^
814:^
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808:.
319:(
304:(
242:(
42:)
38:(
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