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Ystrad-Meurig Castle is a medieval castle situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference CD032. The site occupies bedrock of Llandovery formation, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposits laid down during the Llandovery period. This geology provided the builder with accessible stone for construction and a foundation of moderately stable ground suitable for fortification.
The castle represents a significant phase of medieval military architecture in Wales. Its position reflects strategic considerations typical of Welsh lordship castles, controlling communication routes and asserting territorial authority across the landscape. The Llandovery sedimentary bedrock, though not as dramatically resistant as harder igneous formations found elsewhere in Wales, was sufficiently durable for castle construction and has enabled the remains to survive to the present day.
Ystrad-Meurig Castle remains an important monument in understanding the pattern of medieval settlement and power distribution in Wales. The site's survival, maintained within Cadw's heritage protection framework, allows continued study of its architectural form and the relationship between Norman and Welsh building traditions. Its location on this particular geology demonstrates how medieval builders adapted their fortification strategies to local stone resources and natural landscape characteristics.
Ystrad-Meurig Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CD032. View the official record →
Ystrad-Meurig Castle is a medieval castle situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference CD032.
Ystrad-Meurig 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.
Ystrad-Meurig 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 CD032.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Carn Fflur Round Cairn Cemetery (6.6 km), Garn Gron Round Cairn Cemetery (7.4 km), Gwar-castell, Round Cairn Pair 375m SE of (7.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Ystrad-Meurig 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.
Ystrad-Meurig Castle stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.