Lampeter Castle

Lampeter Castle lies beside one of the main trade routes between South and North of Wales, people settled nearby and the market town of Lampeter came into existence over time. It is not known who originally built the castle but in 1146, it was captured by Cadell ap Gruffydd, Prince of Deheubarth, however he was incapacitated as ruler of Deheubarth five years later when he was attacked while out hunting by a Norman force from Tenby, and was left for dead. At the time, Totnes Priory held St Peter's Church at Lampeter, and the original grantor may have been Stephen, constable of Cardigan. The castle was the site of several battles. Until the Statute of Wales in 1284, Lampeter was fiercely…

The motte is to be found at the back of the Old Building at Lampeter University. It is a sizeable mound, being some 100 ft wide at the bottom, 25 ft high and no more than 20 to wide at the top. Although there would have been a bailey, its precise location is unknown, but its outline may have influenced the layout of nearby retaining walls, and may have extended towards the church. The motte has been somewhat truncated by building work and incorporated into the landscaping of the college grounds.