Kidwelly Castle

Our View

Kidwelly is a small town located about 10 miles northwest of the main Carmarthenshire hub of Llanelli. Lying on the River Gwendraeth above Carmarthen Bay, it was first established in the 12th century. Today its main attractions include the former quay – now a nature reserve – a Norman parish church and an industrial museum. Most important of all, however, is the impressive castle. Founded by the Normans in 1106, it is now a forbidding grey beast that rises above a pretty waterway. Its history has been tempestuous. It was Roger de Caen, the Bishop of Salisbury, who first put up earthworks on the site, some of which can still be seen in the semicircular ditch that curves around the present castle. In 1231, Llywelyn the Great attacked the Norman castle, causing considerable damage. It was rebuilt to withstand one further attack in the 1250s but most of the building that remains today dates from the 1270s. The main castle forms a rectangle, with great circular towers at each corner. A semicircular wall sweeps around one side and the site is protected by defensive earthworks. Unusually, the great gatehouse is not a part of the inner walls, but forms part of the outer walls. The most likely reason for this is that there was not enough firm ground inside the castle to support such a large building. Instead, the interior consists of many small rooms, chambers and interconnecting passages, all of which help make this castle a tremendous example of medieval architecture and style. Photo credit: © Crown copyright (2015) Cadw