Scheduled Monuments- Full Report
Summary Description of a Scheduled Monument
Reference Number
RD132
Name
Rhayader Castle
Date of Designation
Status
Designated
Location
Unitary Authority
Powys
Community
Rhayader
Easting
296823
Northing
268033
Broad Class
Defence
Site Type
Castle
Period
Medieval
Description
Summary Description and Reason for Designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument consists of the remains of a castle, dating to the medieval period. A castle is a defended residence or stronghold, built mainly of stone, in which the principal or sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site. Some form of keep may have stood within the enclosure but these were not significant in defensive terms and served mainly to provide accommodation. Rhayader Castle is set on a promontory above the River Wye, with large rock-cut vertical ditch to north-west and a scarp to the river plain on the west and south. The site is open ground covered with rough grass.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.