id: sig-20260722-report-cd008
site_id: gb-aberystwyth-aberystwyth
attribute: designation_report
value: 'Reference Number

  CD008

  Name

  Aberystwyth Castle

  Date of Designation

  Status

  Designated

  Unitary Authority

  Ceredigion

  Community

  Aberystwyth

  Easting

  257958

  Northing

  281522

  Broad Class

  Defence

  Site Type

  Castle

  Period

  Medieval

  The monument consists of the remains of a castle, dating to the medieval period. A castle
  is a defended residence or stronghold, built mainly of stone, in which the principal or
  sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site. Some form of keep may have
  stood within the enclosure but these were not significant in defensive terms and served
  mainly to provide accommodation. Aberystwyth Castle is a concentric-walled lozenge-plan
  castle measuring c.80m north-south by c.45m wide, built of coursed rubble masonry. It has
  a dry moat to the west and round towers to the inner and outer wards. There is an inner
  gate tower to the west with an outer gate beyond. The twin apsidal tower gateway has a pointed
  entrance, portcullis chase, crenellated parapet and splayed stair turret. There is a dungeon
  to the southwest and a mural tower on the south side of the inner ward. Work on Aberystwyth
  Castle commenced in 1277 under Edward I; it was taken by the Welsh in 1282 while still unfinished,
  and was completed (by the English again) in 1289. By 1636 the castle was largely ruinous
  and in 1637 a Royal Mint was established by Thomas Bushell in the castle hall. Around 1790
  the ground in front of the castle was laid out in a series of walks by John Probert; this
  area is now partly covered by St. Michael’s Church. The castle remains have been much restored
  and now form part of a public park.

  The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval
  defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval
  landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of
  the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.

  The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related
  evidence may be expected to survive.'
source_url: http://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/sam/FullReport?lang=en&id=764
source_title: Scheduled Monument Full Report — Aberystwyth Castle
publisher: Cadw
observed_date: '2026-07-22'
collected_by: scripts/build_assessment_batch.py
confidence: high
notes: The designation text. Assess the six bands against THIS evidence only; omit any band
  it does not speak to.