Llangynwyd Castle is a

ruined Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

, probably of the 12th century, in

Llangynwyd Llangynwyd is a village (and electoral ward) 2 miles to the south of Maesteg, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. It was part of the medieval commote (Welsh: ''cwmwd'') of Tir Iarll. History and amenities The village is the site of Llang ...

, in

Bridgend County Borough Bridgend County Borough () is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. The county borough has a total population of 139,200 people, and contains the town of Bridgend, after which it is named. Its members of the Senedd are Sarah Murphy ...

, South Wales, just to the south of

Maesteg Maesteg (; ) is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English translatio ...

History

In medieval times it was a prominent outpost in the Gorfynydd Cantref uplands of the lordship of Glamorgan, it is believed to have been annexed in around 1147, and it was mentioned in documents in 1246. The castle was plundered in 1258 and underwent a reconstruction but it was burned down in around 1293-4 and likely never rebuilt.

Structure

The

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW; ; ), established in 1908, is a Welsh Government sponsored body concerned with some aspects of the archaeological, architectural and historic environment of Wales. ...

describes the ruined castle as occupying the "tip of a steep sided spur between two streams" and consisting of a "heart shaped walled inner court some 35-39m across set at the south-east end of a larger outer court". The twin-towered gatehouse overlooking the outer court was said to resemble that of the great gatehouse at

Caerphilly Castle Caerphilly Castle () is a medieval castle, fortification in Caerphilly in South Wales. The castle was constructed by Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester, Gilbert de Clare in the 13th century as part of his campaign to maintain control of ...

. It is believed to date to the time of the rebuilding in the 1260s. The inner court is surrounded by a deep ditch, except on the northeastern side. The curtain wall around it is in a poorly degraded state, and possibly predates 1257. Several of the building foundations can still be seen in the interior. The passageway entering it consists of dressed stone.

References

{{coord, 51.5852, -3.6589, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Castles in Bridgend County Borough Buildings and structures completed in the 13th century 1260s in Wales