Carreghofa Castle

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Ringwork), and also as a Certain Masonry Castle

There are earthwork remains

NameCarreghofa Castle
Alternative NamesCarreghova; Carreghove; Karrecouain; Karakawein; Karrecove; Caroclove; Carrecoel; Carrecoen; Karrechove; Carrec Huwa; Tanat Camp
Historic CountryMontgomeryshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityCarreghofa

L-shaped rampart and ditch define the NE and SE sides of a triangular enclosure, c.26m NW-SE by 14m, resting on a 15m steep natural scarp to the Tanat flood plain on the W, having steeply rising ground to the W. The NW end of the rampart appears to inturn, suggesting that the site has suffered erosion/landslippage. Identified with the documented site of Carreghofa castle, built 1101, refortified in stone 1194-5 (at a cost of £44), last mentioned 1213. (Coflein)

Gatehouse Comments

This was the site of a silver mining operation. The C12 Pipe Rolls do report large expenditure on supplies and staff at the castle but it is not entirely clear if all these servientum were military men, although some are clearly identified as such. Was the castle purely an administrative centre for silver mining, with some military security guards or did it also have a wider function as a military base built to respond to welsh insurgents? What is clear from the Pipe Rolls is that the term 'Castle' did include the centre of mining operations. Castle site was transferred into Montgomeryshire from Denbighshire in 1844.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ254221
Latitude52.7919692993164
Longitude-3.10688996315002
Eastings325460
Northings322190
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 244 (listed)
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p. 37
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 152
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 295
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 338
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 135
  • Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 602-3
  • RCAHMW, 1911, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Montgomeryshire (HMSO) p. 13 no. 62 online copy
  • Eyton, R.W., 1854-60, Antiquities of Shropshire (London) Vol. 8 p. 247, Vol. 10 p. 355-59
  • Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales online copy

Journals

  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127
  • Spurgeon, C.J., 1966, ‘The castles of Montgomeryshire’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 59 p. 48-9 online copy
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  • Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol. 74 p. 249-280 (Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 90-121) view online copy (subscription required)
  • Brown, R. Allen, 1955, 'Royal Castle-building in England 1154-1216' English Historical Review Vol. 70 (Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)) p. 19-64
  • Fewtrell, J., 1879, 'Parochial History of Llanymynech' Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 12 p. 110-13 online copy
  • Fewtrell, J., 1878, 'Parochial History of Llanymynech' Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 11 p. 180-1 (called Tanet Camp) online copy p. 215-28 [online copy > http://archive.org/stream/collectionshist09unkngoog#page/n256/mode/1up]
  • Sandford, G., 1874, Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 7 p. 377-88 (history)

Primary Sources

  • Thorpe, B. (ed), 1849, Florentii Wigorniensis monachi. Chronicon ex Chronicis (London) Vol. 2 p. 50 online copy
  • Brut y Tywysogion 1163 (Several transcriptions and translations exist the best being Jones, T., 1952, Brut Y Twysogion (University of Wales, History and Law series 11)–based on the Peniarth MS 20 version. There is a flawed translation Williams ab Ithel, John, 1860, Brut Y Twysogion or The Chronicle of the Princes (Rolls Series) online copy)
  • Williams (ab Ithel), John, (ed), 1860, Annales Cambriae (444 – 1288) (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts)1197 online copy
  • Pipe Rolls 1162, 1194-95, 1212 (see Pipe Roll Society for references)
  • Hardy, T.D. (ed), 1833, Rotuli litterarum clausarum in turri Londinensi asservati (Record Commission) Vol. 1 p. 132
  • Hardy, T.D. (ed), 1835, Rotuli litterarm patentium in Turri londinensi asservati (Record Commission) p. 100a online copy