Aberystwyth Castle

53 Mins from our holiday cottages
34 Miles from our holiday cottages
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Aberystwyth Castle, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion
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Aberystwyth Castle

The castle was begun in 1277, and it changed hands several times before finally became useless against new weapons. The last castle built at Aberystwyth once ranked among the greatest in Wales but today, lies entirely ruined.

As early as the 14th century, the concentric fortress began to decay. By 1343, large portions of the main gateway and drawbridges, and the outer bailey were falling down. The closeness of the castle to the pounding sea causing much of the decay.

In 1404, Owain Glyndwr seized the crumbling fortress, the English regained possession but after 1408, Aberystwyth Castle lost its strategic, and only minor repairs were attempted. During the Civil War, the garrison sided with the king, Charles I and was broken down by Oliver Cromwell. Most of the castle stone was pilfered by locals to build their homes.

The grounds now include a magnificent war memorial from Italy and a bardic circle of standing stones, erected during the 1916 Eisteddfod.

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