Kidwelly Castle
 Castles |  Royal Britain |
Kidwelly Castle came into existence early in the 12 th century as a part of the network of coastal castles built in Wales to strengthen the Norman advance westward. Their coastal location meant that they could be supplied with food or reinforced with troops by sea as well as land. The original castle built on the rocky site at the estuary of the Gwendraeth Fach River was the work of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, one of the principal ministers in the reign of Henry I, 1100-35. Little remains of this early castle, only the semicircular moat and the rampart beneath the curtain wall have survived to give us a clue to its design.
On Henry's death in 1135 the Welsh felt confident again to test Norman resolve in the area. United under Gwenllian, wife of Gruffydd ap Rhys, local Welsh tribes rose up against the invaders, but proved no match for the Norman troops. The field of battle on which she was defeated is still known as Maes (Field of) Gwenllian. However, the castle continued to be harassed by Welsh insurgents down the following decades, being captured at one point in 1215 for a short period. Llywelyn the Great attacked Kidwelly in 1231 causing considerable damage, and in 1257 Patrick de Chaworth fended off repeated sorties made during another Welsh uprising, repairing parts of the castle at the same time.
Much of Kidwelly Castle that we see today dates from the 1270's. The outer ward runs in a semicircle from the south to the north gatehouses, joined by a high curtain wall. The south gatehouse was an imposing three-storey building, unusual in that it forms part of the outer defences rather than being built as a part of the inner wall, as with many other castles. The inner ward is rectangular with a massive circular tower standing at each corner. The original great hall with the solar (an upper chamber in a medieval house) stood alongside the eastern wall of the inner ward and was later replaced by a new hall in the outer ward. The interior of the castle, containing many small rooms within the walls and towers, provides an insight into medieval domestic arrangements. The chapel too is particularly well preserved. Down the centuries the many repairs and careful strengthening undertaken at Kidwelly has left us with one of the finest castles in Wales; it remains an impressive sight looming high above the salt plains of the Gwendraeth Fach.
Kidwelly eventually passed into the hands of Henry IV, 1399-1413, becoming crown property, and henceforth played a less important role in British history. Henry VII, 1485-1509, gave the castle to his supporter, Sir Rhys ap Tewdwr, and finally it came into the possession of the Earl of Cawdor to whom it still belongs.