Aberedw Castle
Encyclopedia
The remains of Aberedw Castle, also known as 'Castle in Elfael Uwch Mynydd', are located at the small village of Aberedw
in the county of Powys
, mid-Wales
.
was signed to Walter Heckelutel, as a License of the Crenellate, by King Edward I of England
on November 24, 1284. This license to crenellate was thought of as a way for central authority to exert power over the lords, although this is not confirmed. It is also suggested however, that the castle dates back to 1093 when the Normans
invaded South Wales.
At the time of the construction of Aberedw, castles were built for a certain symbolism. The license to crennellate showed a symbolic power for central authority. This castle also has a different symbolism to the people of Wales. Aberedw is more famously known to be the residence of Llewelyn ap Gruffydd. This man is very well known as the last native Prince of Wales
. Aberedw was the last retreat Llewelyn made before he was killed and beheaded by Adam Francton, who then had his head sent to the King of England
, in 1282.
It was a rectangular stone castle with circular towers, surrounded by a moat approximately 10 to 20 meters wide. Today it is a ruin, as it was destroyed by railway works in the 19th century. Many stones from the castle were used in the construction of the foundations of the track.
Aberedw
Aberedw is a village in the Welsh county of Powys.The ruins of the medieval Aberedw Castle are nearby.It is also the site of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's death, although it is commonly thought that this occurred in Cilmeri, where his men were finally defeated....
in the county of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, mid-Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
History
The castleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
was signed to Walter Heckelutel, as a License of the Crenellate, by King Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
on November 24, 1284. This license to crenellate was thought of as a way for central authority to exert power over the lords, although this is not confirmed. It is also suggested however, that the castle dates back to 1093 when the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
invaded South Wales.
At the time of the construction of Aberedw, castles were built for a certain symbolism. The license to crennellate showed a symbolic power for central authority. This castle also has a different symbolism to the people of Wales. Aberedw is more famously known to be the residence of Llewelyn ap Gruffydd. This man is very well known as the last native Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. Aberedw was the last retreat Llewelyn made before he was killed and beheaded by Adam Francton, who then had his head sent to the King of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, in 1282.
It was a rectangular stone castle with circular towers, surrounded by a moat approximately 10 to 20 meters wide. Today it is a ruin, as it was destroyed by railway works in the 19th century. Many stones from the castle were used in the construction of the foundations of the track.
External links
- Aberedw Castles (I & II) and Additional Photographs by Jeffrey L. Thomas.
- Aberedw Castles by Paul Remfry.