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Caerphilly Castle is a substantial masonry fortress built from 1268 onwards by Gilbert de Clare, the Norman lord of Glamorgan, and represents one of the finest examples of concentric castle design in Britain. The castle comprises an inner ward surrounded by a powerful outer curtain wall, both enclosed within a formidable water defence system created by damming the Nant-y-Gledyr stream, making it one of the earliest and largest castles to employ such extensive hydraulic fortifications. The massive gatehouse structures, particularly the East Gatehouse with its projecting towers, exemplify the military architecture of the late thirteenth century and demonstrate the sophisticated engineering capabilities of the period. Following damage during the English Civil War, the castle underwent significant restoration in the early twentieth century, preserving this remarkable monument that dominated the lordship of Glamorgan for centuries after its construction.
Caerphilly Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM002. View the official record →
Caerphilly Castle is a substantial masonry fortress built from 1268 onwards by Gilbert de Clare, the Norman lord of Glamorgan, and represents one of the finest examples of concentric castle design in Britain. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM002.
Caerphilly Castle dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a castle. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Caerphilly Castle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM002.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Wenallt Camp, Rhiwbina (4.3 km), Twmpath, Rhiwbina (4.9 km), Castell Coch (5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Caerphilly Castle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Caerphilly Castle stands on South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.