Cardigan Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cardigan Castle |
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| Cardigan, Wales | |
Restoration work at Castle Green House, 2004
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 Cardigan Castle
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| Coordinates | 52°04′53″N 4°39′38″W / 52.0815°N 4.6605°W |
| Type | Motte and bailey |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Ceredigion County Council |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Condition | Restored |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Stone |
| Events | Site of first Eisteddfod (1176) |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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Cardigan Castle (which is Castell Aberteifi in Welsh) is an old castle in Cardigan, Wales. It sits high up, looking over the River Teifi. This castle is a very important historical building, known as a Grade I listed building.
The castle was first built a long time ago, in the late 1000s. It was then rebuilt in stone in 1244. Later, in the early 1800s, a house called Castle Green House was built inside the castle walls. For many years, the castle fell apart. But in the early 2000s, it was fixed up and opened to visitors in 2015. Today, Ceredigion County Council owns it. It has a special centre to learn about history and a place for outdoor concerts.
History of Cardigan Castle
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The very first castle was a motte-and-bailey type. This means it was a wooden fort on a mound of earth with a fenced area. It was built around 1093, about a mile from where the castle stands now. A powerful Norman lord named Roger de Montgomery likely built it when he founded the town of Cardigan.
After the first castle was destroyed, a new one was built by Gilbert Fitz Richard, a lord from Clare. His son, Gilbert de Clare, 1st Earl of Pembroke, took over the castle in 1136.
In that same year, a Welsh prince named Owain Gwynedd led his forces to defeat the Norman rulers in Cardigan at the Battle of Crug Mawr. The town was captured and burned. However, the castle itself was successfully defended by the Normans.
Later, the Normans took the castle back. It was then held by Roger de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford. But in 1166, another Welsh prince, Rhys ap Gruffydd, captured it. He rebuilt the castle using strong stone in 1171.
A very important event happened at the castle in 1176. This was the first recorded eisteddfod. An eisteddfod is a special Welsh festival where people compete in music, poetry, and other arts.
After Prince Rhys died in 1197, his sons, Maelgwn and Gruffydd, argued over who should inherit the castle. Maelgwn gave Gruffydd to the Normans and sold the castle to King John. Later, a famous knight named William Marshall held the castle.
In 1215, Llywelyn the Great, a powerful Welsh prince, captured the castle. At a meeting in Aberdyfi in 1216, he gave it to the sons of Gruffydd ap Rhys. But in 1223, William Marshall the Younger captured it again.
The castle was captured once more in 1231 by Rhys Gryg and his allies for Llywelyn. Llywelyn held it until he died in 1240. After his death, it went back to Norman control. In 1244, Earl Gilbert of Pembroke rebuilt it with strong town walls for better protection. The parts of the castle you see today are mostly from this 1244 building.
The castle was badly damaged during the English Civil War in Wales. For a long time, until the 1700s, it was only used as a prison.
Between 1805 and 1808, the castle owner, John Bowen, built Castle Green House inside the castle walls. More parts were added to the house in 1827.
In 1940, a wealthy ship owner bought the castle and house. His daughter, Barbara Wood, lived in Castle Green House with her mother. Over many years, the house and castle fell into disrepair. The outer castle walls even needed supports to stop them from falling down. Miss Wood continued to live there for almost 60 years, even though the local council tried to take over the castle in 1971. Castle Green House was even declared unsafe to live in by 1984.
Cardigan Castle in the 21st Century
Miss Wood, the last person to live in the castle, moved to a nursing home in 1996. To help pay for her care, she put the castle up for sale in 2001. Ceredigion County Council, which is the local government, bought the castle in April 2003. Soon after, repairs began as part of a plan to make Cardigan town better. In 2004, Castle Green House was even featured on a TV show called Restoration.
The renovation work took several years. Finally, the castle opened to the public on April 15, 2015. A concert was held there in July 2015. The new castle now offers places to stay overnight, a history centre with learning areas, a restaurant, and a space for events and outdoor concerts. You can also rent rooms for classes and meetings.
Images for kids
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Castle Green House
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