Cilgerran Castle

Perched at the top of a deep river gorge in the Teifi Valley are the picturesque ruins of the 13th century Cilgerran Castle, but this was not the first stronghold to take advantage of the natural defences afforded by this high location. An early 'ringwork' castle was established by the Normans soon after they arrived in Wales, but throughout the next 150 years the fortification witnessed turbulent times and was probably rebuilt in stone.

It was during the 13th century that a major redevelopment of Gilgerran Castle took place under the Marshal family. In 1204 William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, captured Cilgerran Castle from the Welsh, but just ten years later the castle was back in the hands of Prince Llywelyn. Marshal's son, another William, eventually won back his father's position in West Wales, taking both Cardigan and Cilgerran Castle. From that time on Cilgerran Castle was never under Welsh rule. Meanwhile, William began reconstructing his fortress at Cilgerran in the 1220s, described in surviving accounts as an "ornate castle of mortar and stones".

Traditionally, medieval castles were designed with a keep or strong tower at the centre but Cilgerran Castle is unusual inasmuch as two massive round towers were erected. The earlier east tower, built by William, was incorporated in the curtain and, at that time, may have been the only tower anticipated for the castle. Situated at the highest point of the inner ward, this four-storey tower was remarkably simple in construction, with roughly cut small windows, and little embellishment. Although it would have been used as the main accommodation block within the castle, only one room on the third level had a fireplace.

In complete contrast, the west tower added some twenty years later displays many refinements and, not surprisingly, became the principal residential tower once completed. Originally, the west tower was accessible only at first floor level by an external stairway, but with 14th century remodelling a main entrance was built on the ground floor. Unlike the east tower, the new tower had fireplaces on all three floors, and was afforded additional security by the erection of an inner gatehouse. Before the end of the 13th century, general rebuilding and reinforcing works appear to have been carried out to strengthen the curtain walls. However, by 1326 Cilgerran Castle had fallen into a ruinous state and when Edward III was preparing to face a possible threat from the French late in the 14th century, he ordered Cilgerran Castle to be renovated as a stronghold. A north tower was added, and the buildings within the inner ward were extended with a west range.

Now only fragments of this castle survive, but the two round towers remain standing to a good height as do many of the walls. A wall-walk provides an excellent viewing point from which to determine the original castle plan, and also affords the visitor spectacular views of the valley. Virtually nothing of the Norman castle is discernible, and Edward's north tower has all but disappeared. The known history of Cilgerran Castle is not remarkable, and is fairly short-lived. Once the family line died out in 1389, it largely marked the end of the castle's life, being abandoned and 'forgotten' for almost four hundred years. Several artists viewed it as a fascinating, romantic ruin in the second half of the 18th century and this probably encouraged it to be noted as an early tourist attraction.