CARDIGAN Castle is a landmark of the town and a popular spot for tourists, so here we take a look back at the history of the castle.
The first castle in Cardigan was built roughly a mile away from the castle everyone knows and loves. It is believed the first one was built around 1093 by a man called Earl Roger de Montgomery and was an earthen or motte and bailey castle.
The first castle on the site of the present structure was built in 1110 by Gilbert fitz Richard, a Norman who inherited a range of lands across England following his father’s retirement to a monastery in 1088.
He was loyal to King Henry I, and in 1110 after the king took Cardigan from Owain ap Cadwgan ap Bleddyn, he gave the lordship of Cardigan to Gilbert.
On his death in 1117, Cardigan Castle and the estates were passed to his son Richard fitz Gilbert. He was a strong ally of King Stephen and was assassinated on April 15, 1136, near Llanthony Priory by Morgan ab Owain and the Welsh of Abergavenny.
Cardigan Castle was attacked on October 10 of the same year by Owain and Cadwaladr, two of Gruffydd ap Cynan’s sons.
At the time of the attack, Gerald de Windsor’s widow Nest (who’s kidnapping in 1109 was said to be the catalyst for King Henry I taking Cardigan Castle) was living in the castle with her new husband Stephen de Mareis.
The attack was unsuccessful and there have been suggestions that one reason for the failure was due to Nest residing at the castle and one of the men leading the attack – Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Tewdwr – was her brother.
It is said there were around 6,000 foot soldiers and 2,000 horsemen involved in trying to take the castle and while that was unsuccessful, the town surrounding the castle was destroyed.
Following the death of Nest, Adeliz de Mesolin (widow of Gilbert fitz Richard and mother of Richard fitz Gilbert) was residing at the castle, but received a military escort from Miles of Gloucester (Lord of Brecknock) to escort her to safety in England on the orders of King Stephen.
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Gilbert fitz Richard (born 1115) inherited the castle from his father Richard fitz Gilbert and then became Earl of Hertford in 1138 under the name Gilbert fitz Richard de Clare and he was in possession of Cardigan and Tonbridge.
Two years after their first attempt at taking the castle, Owain and Cadwaladr tried again, this time with assistance from Anarwd, Cadell ap Gruffydd and 15 ships manned by Dutch mercenaries who were hired in Dublin.
This attack also failed as did a third attack – this time by Hywel and Cynan – in 1145.
The castle was then in the possession of Robert fitz Stephen, son of Nest and Stephen, on behalf of the de Clares and in 1147, King Stephen took de Clare prisoner, releasing him after the Earl agreed to surrender his castles.
On his release, he joined his uncle Ranulf’s rebellion against the king. After Gilbert – Earl of Pembroke and uncle of Gilbert, Earl of Hertford, tried and failed to gain his nephews castles, he also joined the rebellion but King Stephen later reconciled with both Earls.
When the Earl of Hertford died in 1152, he had not married and was childless, so the estates, including Cardigan Castle, were passed to younger brother Roger de Clare, who became the 2nd Earl of Hertford.
Robert fitz Stephen was named constable of the castle and was resident there in 1165 when the castle was successfully taken by the Welsh on a fourth attempt – this time by Rhys ap Gruffydd, the Lord Rhys.
In November of that year, he is said to have destroyed and burned the town and captured the castle.
Next time, we will look at Cardigan Castle’s history following the capture by the Lord Rhys.
With thanks to Glen Johnson for the information.
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