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Llantwit Major Castle is a medieval manor house situated in the Vale of Glamorgan. The site occupies ground underlain by the Lias Group, a Jurassic formation of mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone laid down during the Aalenian stage. This varied geology would have influenced both the availability of building materials and the character of the landscape the manor commanded.
As a medieval manor rather than a fortified stronghold, the site represents the domestic and administrative centre of a local estate. The surviving structures reflect the architectural conventions of the period, with the manor serving as the residence of a significant landholder and the focal point of territorial authority and agricultural management across the surrounding territory.
The monument is protected under Cadw's guardianship system with the reference GM137, recognising its importance to the archaeological and architectural heritage of Wales. The site's position within the Vale of Glamorgan, an area characterised by fertile soils and rich medieval settlement, underscores its significance as evidence of how the medieval Welsh gentry organised their estates and managed their affairs during the period of considerable social and political change.
Llantwit Major Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM137. View the official record →
Llantwit Major Castle is a medieval manor house situated in the Vale of Glamorgan. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM137.
Llantwit Major Castle dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a manor. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Llantwit Major 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 GM137.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llantwit Major Dovecot (0.4 km), Llantwit Major Monastic Settlement (Site of) (0.5 km), Castle Ditches Camp (1.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Llantwit Major 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.
Llantwit Major Castle stands on Lias Group, bedrock that formed in the Aalenian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone.