Kidwelly Castle - Castell Cydweli

Castell Cydweli (Kidwelly Castle) was built originally in the early twelfth century. This Norman Castle was the scene of a number of battles when the Welsh took the castle. In the thirteenth century it was back more firmly in Norman hands and many of the remains of the strengthened castle seen today are from that period. The castle has an inner ward with four round towers and over the years additional buildings have been added. The castle is located off the A484 at Kidwelly Carmarthenshire, Wales (Welsh: Cydweli, Sir Gaerfyrddin, Cymru).

Our Visit

This is an impressive castle and you can immediately see its historical importance. We arrived on a cold clear December morning and collected some leaflets about the castle at the information centre close to the entrance. In 1136 Princess Gwenllian (wife of the Welsh lord of Deheubarth) died in battle holding the castle against the Normans. Henry Don, local to the area, led an attack on Kidwelly in 1403 during Owain Glyndŵr's uprising. We enjoyed our time here. There is a lot to explore and see and a visit to the castle is highly recommended.

Link: Kidwelly Castle Cadw.