Castell Aberlleiniog

Llangoed, United Kingdom

Castell Aberlleiniog (Castle of the Mouth of the Lleiniog) is a motte and bailey fortress near the Welsh village of Llangoed on the Isle of Anglesey, built between 1080 and 1099 by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester. It is about two miles distant from Beaumaris Castle, and was built atop a very steep hill.

Castell Aberlleiniog is built in a strategic position beside the Menai Strait opposite the Norman castle at Abergwyngregyn, showing that visual communication was important to the Norman invaders. It was probably erected by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, when he conquered Gwynedd in 1088. There are few historical documents that detail the events the castle has seen through its life, however some do survive, including a record of a siege in 1094 by Gruffudd ap Cynan on his return from Ireland. The siege was successful, 124 Norman defenders died in the battle. Gruffudd was later successful in driving Hugh out, and after this, Anglesey remained under the control of the Welsh until the arrival of Edward I two hundred years later. It is not known whether they made use of Castell Aberlleiniog.

The original Norman timber structure is long gone, replaced by a stone structure at some point prior to the mid-17th century, when it was destroyed by Thomas Cheadle, the constable of Beaumaris. The site was restored from 2008 and is (2016) open to the public. The keep had broad ramparts fronted by a narrow wall rising to a parapet; each corner contained a round tower, the remains of which can still be seen.

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Address

Llangoed, United Kingdom
See all sites in Llangoed

Details

Founded: 1080-1090
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Leila Blackman (4 months ago)
Cute very little castle remains…. A beautiful walk up to it, pass a small river. Stairs to get up to it! But not a huge amount.
Theo Linford (8 months ago)
Beautiful castle surrounded by nature. A hidden gem, completely unknown by tourists. Perfect for picnics, but please take your rubbish home.
Victoria Nikishina (13 months ago)
This is located within a stunning small nature reserve in the village of Llagoed. It was a great walk for dogs but also a good little ramble exploring the woods nearby full of young oak. Great place to lose yourself and doscover the ruins of the castle. There is no fee to visit. it's a ruin at the end of a walk through a nature reserve. Enjoy!
old greggg (14 months ago)
Lovely walk into woodland and a lovely little castle nestled in the trees, up a rather steep Bank (with steps of course). Impressive for its build date and definitely worth a walk in the sun or drizzle! Parking is awkward nearby... there's a layby not too far and some beach parking also, park there and walk in!
John Greener (14 months ago)
The ruins of a motte and bailey castle set in a woodland. A great example of a motte and bailey with a stone keep of you're looking for an example to show how hard to attack they were. Not much left of the keep though although it's been well preserved.
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