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Llanblethian Castle is a medieval fortification located in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, dating to the Norman period of Welsh castle construction. The castle comprises earthwork defences including a motte and bailey arrangement, typical of early Norman military architecture in Wales from the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Its strategic position in Glamorgan reflects the Norman lords' efforts to consolidate control over South Wales following the Norman Conquest, serving as a significant defensive stronghold in the region during the medieval period. The site remains an important archaeological monument illustrating early Norman settlement and military strategy in Wales.
Llanblethian Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM094. View the official record →
Llanblethian Castle is a medieval fortification located in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, dating to the Norman period of Welsh castle construction. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM094.
Llanblethian 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.
Llanblethian 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 GM094.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including West Orchard Manor House (6.3 km), Deserted Medieval Village North East of Rock Farm (6.8 km), East Orchard Manor House (7.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Llanblethian 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.
Llanblethian Castle stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.