Castell Hithoet (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Hychoet; Castell Coch

In the historic county of Shropshire.
Modern Authority of Shropshire.
1974 county of Shropshire.
Medieval County of Shropshire.

Castell Hithoet has been described as a probable Uncertain.

There are uncertain remains.

Description

Ricardus comes Cornubiae resedificavit castellum de Radenor prius combustum ab exercitu Lewelini principis illo, ut dicebatur, inconsulto; sed circa finem illius anni discordia inter dominum regem et Ricardum Marescallum orta est, unde idem Marescallus cum indignatione magna a curia recessit et ad Walenses venit, et fidelitate juxta eisdem acceptis quibusdam ex illis secum, villam de Monemu, multis ex suis viris interfectis, combussit, et castra de Kirdive et de Penkelli, de Bulkedinas, de Gevenu et de Blanelleveni cepit. Lewelinus princeps villas de Brechonia et de Clua combussit, et castrum quod vocabatur castell Hithoet cepit et destruxit, necnon et villam de Albo Monasterio in cinerem redegit. (Annales Cambriae 1233)

The prince is described as having overrun Dyffryn Tefeidiog after burning Clun, but this gets us no closer, for the term is merely the Welsh name for the valley of the Teme, to the south of Clun. Llywelyn' general course is clear enough, though the identity of the castle castle which he destroyed remains impenetrably obscure. We have two names for it, both for different reasons unhelpful; on the one hand, no castle is known with any name remotely resembling Hithoet; on the other hand, Castell Coch is a name only too common, and too applicable to sites in the red sandstone country through which Llywelyn's route lay. (King 1983)

Sources of information, references and further reading

Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Books
- King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 560
  Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p. 10
  Lloyd, J.E., 1912, A history of Wales: from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest (London) p. 680n140 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Stephenson, D., 2004, 'Castell Coch/Castell Hychoet:: a possible identification' Shropshire History and Archaeology Vol. 77 p. 120-22
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Williams ab Ithel, John, (ed), 1860, Annales Cambriae (444 – 1288) p. 79 (1233) online copy Brut y Tywysogion 1233 (Several transcriptions and translations exist the best being Jones, T., 1952, Brut Y Twysogion (University of Wales, History and Law series 11)–based on the Peniarth MS 20 version. There is a flawed translation Williams ab Ithel, John, 1860, Brut Y Twysogion or The Chronicle of the Princes (Rolls Series) p. 320-1 view copy)

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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