Carreg Cennen Castle by munki-boy
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carreg Cennen Castle is in Brecon Beacons National Park in The Wales.
The imposing ruins of Carreg Cennen Castle sit on top of a dramatic limestone crag which forms a natural fortress. The steep cliffs make the site easy to defend and there is evidence that it may have been occupied in the Iron Age and later by the Romans.
The first castle at Carreg Cennen was constructed by one of the Welsh princes in the late 12th century. It was fought over and changed hands a number of times.
In 1277 Carreg Cennen was seized by the English King Edward I and the original castle was demolished and replaced by the impressive fortress that remains today.
The castles origins probably lie in the twelfth century, when the Lord Rhys (d 1197), Welsh.prince of Deheubarth, built a stronghold and administrative centre for Is-cennen.
The ruins at Carreg Cennen today are those of a later castle built mainly by John Giffard. an English lord who fought with Edward I to defeat the welsh His plan to rebuild the fortifications seems to have been carried out in three separate phases.
Carreg Cennen remained in English hands, but fell temporarily to the Welsh in 1403 during Owain Glyndwr’s uprising. Five hundred men were paid a total of £285 to demolish the castle in 1462 to prevent it being used by local robbers.
Exploring Carreg Cennen Castle
Carreg Cennen is a really special castle to visit as its position on the steep rocky hill is a stunning view. The castle itself is romantically ruined but retaining enough structure to hold interest as you wander round. There is also a long passage surviving on the Southern wall that leads to a section of underground cave tunnels - magic.
Carreg Cennen Castle Caves
Created: 1 December 2018 Edited: 29 November 2023
Carreg Cennen Castle
Carreg Cennen Castle LiDAR Map
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
Local History around Carreg Cennen Castle
There are some historic monuments around including:
Group of Burnt Mounds 300m SSW of Cilcoll Farm Limekilns East of Cincoed Capel Dewi Two Burnt Mounds 350m W of Cwrtbrynbeirdd Standing Stone S of Llwyn-Du Farm Garreg Las Hut Group Waun-hir post-medieval lluest farmstead Beddau'r Derwyddon Ffairfach standing stone Tir-y-Dail Motte and Bailey CastleBodyst-uchaf ring cairn Waun Pwtlyn Long BarrowCarreg Cennen CastleBanc Crucorford round cairn Site of Forge at Llandyfan Trichrug round cairns Bryngwyn Standing Stone Llys-Brychan Roman SiteCincoed Limestone Quarries and Kilns Burnt Mound 450m ENE of Caeglas Farm Garn Goch CampsLlwyn Du CampDinefwr Park Roman Forts Cwmdu Defended Enclosure Tair Carn Uchaf Cairns Tair Carn Isaf Cairns .Wildlife in and around Carreg Cennen Castle
Carreg Cennen Castle Mammals
There are 28 species of mammals recorded as found near Carreg Cennen Castle.
| American Mink (Neovison vison) |
| Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus) |
| Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) |
| Common Shrew (Sorex araneus) |
| Fallow Deer (Dama dama) |
| Badger (Meles meles) |
| Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) |
| Common Dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) |
| Domestic Cat (Felis catus) |
| Field Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) |
Tap here for more wildlife found near Carreg Cennen Castle woodland
Carreg Cennen Castle Birds
There are 109 species of birds recorded as found near Carreg Cennen Castle.
| Black-Headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) |
| Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) |
| Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) |
| Buzzard (Buteo buteo) |
| Carrion Crow (Corvus corone subsp. corone) |
| Blackbird (Turdus merula) |
| Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) |
| Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) |
| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) |
| Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) |
Tap here for more wildlife found near Carreg Cennen Castle woodland
