Cardigan Castle - A good place to visit & find out about the history of the Castle & Cardigan. After a recent Multi Million Pound refurbishment, to the grounds, lawns, the inner Victorian buildings & a posh restaurant. It seems money was spent on the Castle walls which were supported by huge temporary wooden supports. Located in the modern county of Ceredigion, South West Wales.
"Cardigan Castle stands on the northern bank of the River Teifi in the district of South West Wales known as Ceredigion. Although this area of Wales is now relatively quiet it was once on the front line of the struggles between the Welsh and Normans.
The castle was built in several stages, starting with an earth and timber fortress founded by the norman invader Gilbert de Clare in 1110 AD, which superseded an earlier earthwork castle which had been built a mile downstream from Cardigan by Roger de Montgomery during his invasion of 1093" Text Source: (
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"The Castle that can be seen today was erected in Cardigan itself in the 1100, by Gilbert de Clare and if he had have realised what trouble this was to cause, he may not have bothered. Over the next 100 years the castle frequently changed hands between the Norman’s and the Welsh.
De Clare’s son gained control of the castle in 1136, the same year that Rhys ap Gruffydd, the prince of Deheubarth, or Lord Rhys, led the defeat of the Norman’s in the town at the bloody battle of Crug Mawr. His prize was the castle which he set about transforming from its original wooden structure into stone.
Rhys was the proud owner of the castle, up until his death in 1197, which marked the beginning of another period of conflict. His sons, Maelgwyn and Gruffyd, disputed their inheritance resulting in Maelgwyn surrendering Gruffydd to the Norman’s and selling the Castle to King John.
A variety of Norman owners called Cardigan Castle home until Llywellyn the Great attacked and destroyed the castle in a show of strength. In what now looks like a historical tug-of-war the Norman William Marshal was next to take control, followed by the Welsh and then yet another Norman.
After this final Norman conquest, during the 1240s, the castle was reconstructed. Two towers, a new keep and the town wall were all built to create the stronghold, the ruins of which are visible to visitors today.
By the end of the 13th century it was King Edward 1st who had laid claim to the castle. Peace the reigned for almost four centuries, 1645 and the English Civil War, when Oliver Cromwell took it upon himself to storm the battlements. Such was the damage that the castle lay uninhabited until the early 1800s when a private mansion was built on the property marking the end to the turmoil that has given Cardigan Castle the unique heritage it boasts today." Text Source: (
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Report from BBC News:
"Cardigan Castle will reopen to the local community on Tuesday following a four-year, £12m restoration.
For 15 years the Ceredigion community campaigned to save the site which has been restored into a heritage attraction and events venue, with holiday accommodation and a restaurant.
Restoration work included roof repairs, landscaping and reconstruction of the castle's walls.
The Cadwgan Building Preservation Trust, made up of 250 local people, secured investment for the restoration, including more than £6m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £4.3m from the European Regional Development Fund.
Hundreds of local volunteers took part in fundraising, raising more than £200,000 to save the 900-year-old site.
Recent history:
The site has been restored into a heritage attraction, luxury accommodation and events venueImage copyright Louise Noakes
Image caption
The site has been restored into a heritage attraction, luxury accommodation and events venue
?1961 - Cardigan castle becomes a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Castle Green House a listed building
?1984 - Castle Green House declared unfit for human habitation
?2001 - Local paper, The Tivy-Side Advertiser, starts a "Save the Castle" campaign
?2003 - the castle is bought by Ceredigion council
?2011 - Cadwgan Building Preservation Trust receives much-needed grants from funders, including Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through Welsh government, to restore the castle
?2015 - Castle re-opens
A remake of Wales' original Eisteddfod chair has been returned to the castle following the restoration as it believed to have been home to the first ever recorded Eisteddfod in 1176.
The site also has a dedicated Eisteddfod exhibition along with exhibitions telling the story of the castle and the people who lived there.
Cardigan Castle spokeswoman Sue Lewis said: "The castle's commercial streams are absolutely vital in generating income for the upkeep of the site.
"Our target is to attract more than 30,000 visitors to the castle in its first year of trading." Text Source: (
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