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The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
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Castell Hywel, Llandysul

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Humphrey Castle; Castell Hwmphre; Valley of Cletwr; Howels Castle; Castell Howell; Castell Wmphre; Castell Hywell; Castell Wmffre

In the community of Llandysul.
In the historic county of Cardiganshire.
Modern authority of Ceredigion.
Preserved county of Dyfed.

OS Map Grid Reference: SN44044765
Latitude 52.10521° Longitude -4.27859°

Castell Hywel, Llandysul has been described as a certain Timber Castle.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
Description

A sub-circular steep-sided mound, set on the western point of a spur above the valley of the Clettwr Fach, thought to represent a medieval castle motte: the mound is about 40m in diameter and rises 9.5m to a level summit, 18m in diameter, mutilated by trenching; ditched except on the west, where it rests on a 12m high scarp above the valley bottom: identified with Humphrey's Castle, recorded as destroyed in 1136 & rebuilt, 1153. (Coflein)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). A motte is a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil and/or stone, usually surrounded by either a wet or dry ditch, and surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone. The mound at Castell Hywel stands c.8m above the road which adjoins it on the west. It is c.12m across the top and has a ditch on the east and south which peters out on the north, where a steep slope runs down to a stream, and the west, where the road may have cut through it. There has been some disturbance to the top of the motte, with an old trench c.8m long and up to c.2m deep running in from the east side. There was possibly once an enclosure on its east side. (Scheduling Report)

End of a ridge cut off by a ditch to make a motte c. 6m high and 15m across the top. The castle here existed by 1137 when it was captured and burnt by the sons of Gruffydd ap Cynan. Hywel ab Owain rebuilt the castle in 1151 but in 1158 it was captured by Roger de Clare.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
Coflein   County HER   Scheduling        
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Sources of information, references and further reading
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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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This record last updated 05/07/2016 22:21:26
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