Gaer Penrhos/Caer Penrhos/Castell Penrhos/Castell Cadwaladr/Castle of Llanrhystud/Llan Rhystud.

• Llanrhystud, Dyfed.
• Scheduled Ancient Monument.
• Monument Number CD094.

PRIVATE PROPERTY.

The site overlooks the village and has views across the Ystwyth Valley and mountains as well as Cardigan Bay in the distance. It comprises of a ringwork castle set within an iron Age hillfort.

It is believed to have its origins in the Iron Age (c.800BC-74AD) with a belief it was constructed at around the time the Romans started to encroach upon Wales.

It comprises of one large rampart with an outer ditch which encloses and area of approximately 4.2 hectares. There are natural slopes on all sides with the south west, west and north west having a steep drop. Sometimes described as triangular in shape, it bends around to the north east. Following the contour of the hilltop. The original entrance is located at the north east tip.

The early rampart was originally constructed in stone, and you can still see this on the south side of the site. It has been recorded that there appears to possibly be double ramparts located on the east side of the site, as seen in aerial photographs, in the way of cropmarks, but viewing the LiDAR (sorry I cannot include it here!) there do appear to be two faint traces of two more ramparts to the south.

Located at the north, north east of the site there are also traces of what appear to represent a Roman camp (Wish I could place the LiDAR here!).

For the FULL description and timeline during the Medieval period  CLICK HERE

References & Bibliography

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Dalton. P., & Luscombe., D. 2016. Rulership and Rebellion in the Anglo-Norman World, c.1066-c.1216: Essays in Honour of Professor Edmund King. Routledge.

Davies. S. 2014. War and Society in Medieval Wales 633-1283. University of Wales Press.

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Maund. K. 2011. The Welsh Kings: Warriors, Warlords and Princes. The History Press.

Peers. C. 2018. King Stephen and The Anarchy: Civil War and Military Tactics in Twelfth-Century Britain. Pen and Sword.

Pettifer. A. 2000. Welsh Castles: A Guide by Counties. Boydell & Brewer.

Pryce. H. (ed.). 2010. The Acts of Welsh Rulers: 1120-1283. University of Wales Press.

Rowlands. J. 1866. Historical Notes of the Counties of Glamorgan, Carmarthen and Cardigan: And a List of the Members of Parliament for South Wales, from Henry VIII, to Charles II. H. Bird.

Stephens. T. 1851. St. Cadvan, Arthur, Caerfill. Archaeologia Cambrensis: Record of the Antiquities of Wales and its Marches. Vol. 2., 1851, pp. 58-69.

Stone. G. 1915. Wales Her Origins Struggles and Later History Institutions and Manners. George G Harrup & Company.