Castles · South Wales
Kidwelly Castle
Kidwelly Castle — Grade I listed building in Kidwelly. Castle in Wales.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Kidwelly · 1.0 km
- Paid entry
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit Kidwelly Castle, the nearest railway station is Kidwelly, located 1 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is SA17 5BQ. Entry is paid, and wheelchair accessibility is limited.
About
Kidwelly Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Records date its origin to 1106. Heritage designation: scheduled monument. Owned by Cadw. Managed by Cadw. Wikidata describes it as: "Grade I listed building in Kidwelly. Castle in Wales". Coordinates: 51.7394°, -4.3057°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
Kidwelly Castle (Welsh: Castell Cydweli) is a Norman castle overlooking the River Gwendraeth and the town of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
From Cadw under OGL v3.
From Cadw
Norman stronghold is a match for the greatest castles of WalesSee Kidwelly Castle rising above the river Gwendraeth on a misty morning and prepare to be amazed. This is the medieval fortress of everyone’s dreams.That’s probably why it appears in the very first scene of ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’. But it would have been no laughing matter to attack this military stronghold.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Kidwelly Castle (Welsh: Castell Cydweli) is a Norman castle overlooking the River Gwendraeth and the town of Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
The present remains of the castle date from the early 12th century. Created as a defence against the Welsh, the castle fell to the Welsh several times in the twelfth century. The Prince of Wales named Lord Rhys, as he was later known, captured Kidwelly Castle in 1159 and was recognised by King Henry II of England as the ruler of the region. Upon his death, it was passed to the Anglo-Normans. The castle was captured and razed by Llywelyn the Great in 1231. Later in its history, it was unsuccessfully besieged by forces of Owain Glyndŵr in August 1403 with assistance from soldiers from France and Brittany who captured Kidwelly town. The castle was relieved by a Norman army in September 1403.…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.7394, -4.3057
- District
- Carmarthenshire
- Parish
- Kidwelly
- Postcode
- SA17 5BQ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Llanelli
- Established
- 1106
- Nearest railway station
- Kidwelly — 1 km
- Opening
- 1st March - 30th June 9.30am-5pm; 1st July - 31st August 9.30am-6pm; 1st September - 31st October 9.30am-5pm; 1st November - 28th February 10am-4pm; closed 24-26 Dec and 1 Jan
- Official site
- cadw.gov.wales
Sources
- wikidata: Q1585849 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Kidwelly Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Kidwelly castle whole.JPG (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
The War Memorial and railings
Memorials & monuments · 0.2 km
Kidwelly Bridge/Pont Cydweli
Historic bridges · 0.3 km
St Mary’s Church (Kidwelly)
Historic churches · 0.3 km
Kidwelly Cinema
Theatres · 0.4 km
Cae Newydd Railway Bridge
Historic bridges · 1.1 km
Kidwelly Quay
Marinas · 1.3 km
Kidwelly Industrial Museum
Museums · 1.4 km
Cae Gaer
Literary houses · 1.8 km
Allt Cunedda
Mountains & hills · 1.9 km
Pont Spwdwr
Historic bridges · 2.7 km
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Pont Spwdwr / Spudder's Bridge
Historic bridges · 2.7 km
Smart's Quarry SSSI
Forests & woodlands · 2.9 km
Nearby
📷 5Memorials & monuments · South Wales
The War Memorial and railings
The War Memorial and railings — Grade II listed building-listed memorial in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 5Historic bridges · South Wales
Kidwelly Bridge/Pont Cydweli
Kidwelly Bridge/Pont Cydweli — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 3Historic churches · South Wales
St Mary’s Church (Kidwelly)
St Mary’s Church (Kidwelly) — church in Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
📷 3📷 5Historic bridges · South Wales
Cae Newydd Railway Bridge
Cae Newydd Railway Bridge — Grade II listed building-listed bridge in wales-south, United Kingdom.
📷 5Marinas · South Wales
Kidwelly Quay
Grade II listed building in Kidwelly. On the Gwendraeth Fach. Reached along a by-road running W from level crossing to SW of town centre.
Where to eat & stay near Kidwelly Castle
Places to stay
📷 5Caravan parks · South Wales
Carmarthen Bay Holiday Park
Carmarthen Bay Holiday Park — a caravan park in wales south. Brand: Parkdean Resorts.
📷 3Caravan parks · South Wales
Fforest Fach Caravan Park
Fforest Fach Caravan Park — a caravan park in wales south.
📷 5
📷 5Caravan parks · South Wales
Pembrey Country Park Caravan Club Site
Pembrey Country Park Caravan Club Site — a caravan park in wales south.
📷 5Caravan parks · South Wales
Sunrise Bay Caravan Park
Sunrise Bay Caravan Park — a caravan park in wales south.
📷 5Caravan parks · South Wales
Shoreline Caravan Park
Shoreline Caravan Park — a caravan park in wales south.
Places to eat & drink
📷 3
📷 5
Restaurants · South Wales
The Bridge
The Bridge — a restaurant in wales south.
📷 5
📷 5Restaurants · South Wales
The Cockleshell
The Cockleshell — a restaurant in wales south. Cuisine: british. Brand: Toby Carvery.
📷 5Restaurants · South Wales
Beach House
Beach House — a restaurant in wales south.
More places run by Cadw
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Conwy Castle
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Harlech Castle
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Caerphilly Castle — castle in Caerphilly, Wales.
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Abergavenny Castle
Abergavenny Castle — Grade I listed building in Abergavenny. Ruined castle in the market town of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales.
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Allt y Gaer
Allt y Gaer — Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wales.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Kidwelly Castle?
- Kidwelly Castle is in South Wales, United Kingdom (postcode SA17 5BQ), in the parish of Kidwelly.
- What is Kidwelly Castle?
- Kidwelly Castle — Grade I listed building in Kidwelly. Castle in Wales.
- How do I get to Kidwelly Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Kidwelly, about 1.0 km away. Drivers can use postcode SA17 5BQ.
- When was Kidwelly Castle built?
- Built or established in 1106.
- Who runs Kidwelly Castle?
- Kidwelly Castle is operated by Cadw.
- Is Kidwelly Castle a listed building?
- Kidwelly Castle is officially recognised as scheduled monument listed.
- Does Kidwelly Castle charge admission?
- Kidwelly Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Kidwelly Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Kidwelly, about 1.0 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SA17 5BQ.