id: sig-20260722-report-cm015
site_id: gb-llandovery-llandovery
attribute: designation_report
value: 'Reference Number

  CM015

  Name

  Llandovery Castle

  Date of Designation

  Status

  Designated

  Unitary Authority

  Carmarthenshire

  Community

  Llandovery

  Easting

  276767

  Northing

  234214

  Broad Class

  Defence

  Site Type

  Castle

  Period

  Medieval

  The monument consists of the remains of a castle, dating to the medieval period.  It was
  originally constructed in the 12th century as a motte and bailey; the motte, a large conical
  mound was scarped out of a rocky hillock overlooking the Afon Bran and stands c 15m high.
  The bailey, a sub-rectangular embanked enclosure of c 4.5m high above the surroundings is
  located to the east. Further outlying banks formerly existed to the south west.  These defences
  will have been surrounded by wet or dry ditches and possibly strengthened with palisades,
  revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte, all of wood. Later in the thirteenth century
  the castle was refortified in stone and the remains today comprise the footings of a shell
  keep, a strong D-shaped tower on the west and a twin-towered gatehouse with a well turret
  to the north together with sections of a curtain wall around the motte.

  The castle had an English foundation and is first mentioned in 1116 when it was attacked
  by Gruffudd ap Rhys. It fell briefly to the Lord Rhys in 1158 but between 1159 and 1161
  was extensively repaired by Henry II. Captured again by Lord Rhys in 1162 it remained in
  Welsh hands for over 100 years figuring between 1195 and 1213 in a series of repeated skirmishes
  during the dynastic quarrels of the southern Welsh princes. In 1277 it fell to the English
  king Edward I and remained in English hands except for when temporarily captured by Llywelyn
  the Last in 1282. The repercussion of this disturbance was the fortification of the castle
  in stone following the grant of Cantref Bychan by Edward I to John Giffard who had assisted
  the king in his wars against Llywelyn.

  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=2095
source_title: Scheduled Monument Full Report — Llandovery 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.