Cilgerran Castle
Spectacularly crowning a crag above the wooded Teifi Gorge, Cilgerran is among the most picturesque castles in Wales. Naturally protected by steep drops on two sides, its position was an obvious site for a fortress in an area hotly disputed by Welsh Princes and Norman Barons. Cilgerran is also forever associated with the abduction in 1109 of Nest, the Welsh 'Helen of Troy', by a besotted Owain, son of the Prince of Powys, an act which set all Wales aflame.
The earliest stronghold here was probably founded in 1108 by the Norman adventurer Gerald of Windsor, but was taken and retaken several times during the next century. Between 1223 and c.1240, therefore, the Anglo-Norman sons of William the Marshall raised a mighty half circuit of fortifications to defend its vulnerable southern approach. These are dominated by two great round towers, a popular feature of castles in war-torn 13th century Wales, built to defend the castle's vulnerable side. These towers are special, a triumph of the fortress-builder's art. Their outward facing walls are much thicker than those within and, while their inner faces have windows, their frowning outer faces are broken only by arrow slits. Marshal's efforts bore little fruit, for the castle was apparently derelict within 50 years. Its fortunes revived in 1377 when Edward III ordered repairs to counter a threatened French invasion, and it was in the wars again during Owain Glyndwr uprising in the early 1400s.
Eventually falling into romantic ruin, the castle has inspired artists for centuries and later became one of Wale's first tourist attractions, much favored by Victorian visitors who sailed up by boat the river Teifi - long famous for salmons and coracles - from Cardigan.
Today, you can visit Cilgerran Castle's historical site and enjoy open air theatre during the summer months in this stunning location
For more information contact www.visitcardigan.com
Cardigan Castle
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.
Following an appearance on the BBC Restoration Programme some restoration of the house followed and the castle is now opened to the public as part of the next phase of its ongoing conservation project. Contact www.cardigan-chamber.co.uk for more information.
St Dogmaels Abbey
Founded about 1115 for a prior and 12 monks of the order of Tiron, St Dogmaels occupied the site of a pre-Norman monastery. It was raised to the status of abbey in 1120, and the monks followed an austere life based on the rule of St Benedict. The surviving ruins span four centuries of monastic life and show much alteration. Parts of the church and cloister are 12th century. www.castlewales.com. The Abbey ruins form a spectactular backdrop for The Abbey Shakespeare Players, a largely amateur company of actors and musicians drawn from all over Britain by the magical setting of St Dogmaels Abbey in West Wales. They have presented a different Shakespeare play in the Abbey each summer for two decades. www.abbeyshakespeare.co.uk.
Carn Ingli
Well worth visiting, a spectacular 4-hectare hillfort on the outskirts of Newport, Pembrokeshire, with amazing views. Situated on two rough peaks, the site is a long triangular shape and was well defended simply because the slopes of the hill are strewn with a mass of rock, and the south side was so steep that no further defences were necessary.
The site originally functioned as a fortified settlement and the outline of at least 25 houses can still be seen. Some archaeologists estimate the fort could have been home to at least 150 people. It has been suggested that the stones at Stonehenge originated from the Carn Ingli site.
