Castles and fortifications in Wales

Castles and Fortifications of Wales

This collection spans centuries of Welsh military and residential architecture, ranging from King Edward I's UNESCO-listed fortress at Caernarfon to the massive concentric moats of Caerphilly Castle. It features 13th-century ruins at Aberystwyth and Kidwelly alongside Victorian Gothic masterpieces like Castell Coch. The list also includes coastal defenses such as the 18th-century Fishguard Fort and grand manor houses like St Fagans and Kentchurch Court, illustrating the evolution of Welsh defensive sites into stately homes.

Castles and Fortifications of Wales — Map

Herbert Ortner / CC BY 3.0

A

Castell Caernarfon

Caernarfon Castle is a medieval fortress in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.

Archangel12 / CC BY 2.0

B

Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle is a medieval fortification in Caerphilly in South Wales.

Steve Collis / CC BY 2.0

C

Castell Coch

A castle where some scenes from Doctor Who were filmed. It also served as a home to John Crichton-Stuart, the 3rd Marquess of Bute.

muba / CC BY-SA 3.0

D

Aberystwyth Castle

Aberystwyth Castle is a Grade I listed Edwardian fortress located in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Mid Wales.

Chris55 / CC-BY-SA-3.0

E

Carew Castle

Carew Castle is a castle in the civil parish of Carew in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

cisko66 / CC BY 3.0

F

Kidwelly Castle

Kidwelly Castle is a Norman castle overlooking the River Gwendraeth and the town of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Waterborough / CC-BY-SA-3.0

G

Cilgerran Castle

Cilgerran Castle is a 13th-century ruined castle located in Cilgerran, Pembrokeshire, Wales, near Cardigan.

Nigel Davies / CC BY-SA 2.0

H

Loughor Castle

Loughor Castle is a ruined, medieval fortification located in the town of Loughor, Wales.

I

Insole Court

A Victorian Gothic mansion in Llandaff, Cardiff, originally built for the Insole family of coal merchants. It features ornate architecture and preserved 19th-century gardens.

Metcalf, fl. 1790, engraver Ralph,… / CC0

J

Cardigan Castle

Cardigan Castle is a castle overlooking the River Teifi in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales. It is a Grade I listed building.

K

Fort Powton

A 19th-century Palmerston fort built as part of the inner line of defenses for Milford Haven. The site features extensive masonry works and gun emplacements.

Tanya Dedyukhina / CC BY 3.0

L

Fort Belan

Fort Belan is a coastal fortress in North Wales. It is located opposite Abermenai Point, at the south-western end of the Menai Strait, on…

Ethan Doyle White / CC BY-SA 3.0

M

Saint Fagans Castle

St Fagans Castle is an Elizabethan mansion in St Fagans, Cardiff, Wales, dating from the late 16th century.

N

Fishguard Fort

An 18th-century coastal battery built to defend Fishguard from privateers. It played a key role during the Last Invasion of Britain in 1797 and still retains its original cannons.

O

Kentchurch Court

Kentchurch Court is a Grade I listed stately home 1,200 yards east from the village of Kentchurch in Herefordshire, England.

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