Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
10965
Building Number
Grade
II*
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
08/03/1966
Date of Amendment
18/06/2004
Name of Property
Llandovery Castle
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Carmarthenshire
Community
Llandovery
Town
Locality
Llandovery
Easting
276757
Northing
234226
Street Side
Location
Situated on prominent natural outcrop overlooking Afon Bran, on SE of main car park.
Description
Broad Class
Defence
Period
History
Remant of a medieval castle of late C13. The first castle was an earth motte with bailey, the motte formed from the hill overlooking the Afon Bran, probably built for Richard fitz Pons who was given the lordship of Cantref Bychan in 1116. Repeatedly lost to the forces of the lords of Deheubarth even though Henry II spent a great deal on the castle in 1159-62. It was not secured by the English until 1277, though lost briefly to Llywelyn the Last in 1282. After this it was granted to John Giffard who was instructed to repair the defences and probably built the present masonry castle. It passed to the Barons Audley of Heleigh 1299 who also became Lords of Cemaes in N Pembrokeshire, and passed with Cemaes to the Touchet family in the later C14. Henry IV visited in 1400 and it was besieged by Owain Glyndwr in 1403. It was burnt in an uprising in 1532 by Hywel ap Rhys and thereafter was disused and a quarry for stone. The early C19 views show much the same remains as now.
Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Exterior
Remnants of late C13 castle, chiefly a large D-shaped tower to the W with part of a twin-towered gatehouse with a well-turret to the N and sections of the curtain wall around the motte.
Interior
Reason for designation
Included as substantial remains of a medieval castle.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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