Coity Castle

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Although originally established soon after 1100, much of the castle dates from C14 and later. Parts were rebuilt following the siege by Owain Glyn Dwr in 1404-5. Sub-circular ditched enclosure, c.36-42m in diameter, with sub-rectangular enclosure, c.55m E-W by 36m, attached on the W, both are defined by ruins of towered cutain walls, with extensive remains of internal buildings. Castle thought to have been established in early C12, continuously occupied and added to up to C16, with occupation extending into the early C18. By C18 the castle was mostly ruined. The castle consists of a circular inner ward, with three story keep on NW side and C14 domestic block to the S side. To the NE of this block is the chapel, the interior of which only survives at basement level. A well has also survivied in the inner ward, along with some stone paving. The inner ward is enclosed on the N, E and S sides by a ditch with a faceted curtain wall, on the W side of which is an outer ward with curtain wall. The high outer ward curtain wall features a C15 gatehouse to W, which is now the main entrance.

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Coity Castle

Copyright Philip Blayney All Rights Reserved

 

Coity Castle

Copyright Philip Blayney All Rights Reserved

 

Coity Castle

Copyright Philip Blayney All Rights Reserved


 

Coity Castle

Copyright Philip Blayney All Rights Reserved

 

Coity Castle

Copyright Philip Blayney All Rights Reserved


Name Coity Castle 
Alternative Names Coyty; Coety 
Historic County Glamorgan 
Community Coity Higher 
Type Masonry Castle Timber Castle 
Confidence Certain 
Remains Major 
Listed Grade 1
Scheduled Ancient Monument Yes
Ordnance Survey Reference SS923814
Eastings 292300
Northing 181490
Coflein (RCAHMW)94504
Historic Environment Record 00370m

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p141-3
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p623
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p93-4
  • Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p65-6
  • RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol3 pt1a: The Early Castles (London: HMSO) MR1 p218-58
  • Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p47-48
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p163
  • Davis, Paul R., 1983, Castles of Glamorgan (Alun Books) p31
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p341-2
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
  • Bevan T., 1961, 'Coity Castle: a stronghold of the Vale' in Williams S (ed), The Garden of Wales (Cowbridge) p35-46
  • Toy, Sidney, 1953, The Castles of Great Britain (Heinemann) p141-2
  • Oman, Charles W.C., 1926, Castles (1978 edn Beetham House: New York) p180-1
  • Randall, Henry John, 1961, The Vale of Glamorgan, Studies in Landscape and History (Newport: R.H.Johns Ltd) p78-9
  • Clark, G.T., 1884, Medieval military architecture in England (Wyman and Sons) Vol1 p487-91 [abridged 1877 article]
  • Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p465-6
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p381
  • Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47816#s4
  • Homfray, Jeston, 1828, The Castles of the Lordship of Glamorgan (Cardiff) p27 and plate
  • Buck, Samuel and Nathenial, 1774, Buck’s Antiquities (London) Vol2 p398
  • Grose, F., 1756, Antiquities of England and Wales Vol7 p76-8
  • Griffiths, R.A., n.d., Owain Glyndwr and the seige of Coety castle 1404-1405 (Coity Village Association)
  • Pearce, D.J., n.d., A history of Coety Castle, its occupants and families (Coity Village Association)

Antiquarian

  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1906, Leland's Itinerary in Wales (Bell and Sons; London) p33 http://www.archive.org/details/itineraryinwales00lelauoft

Journals

  • Griffiths, Ralph A., 2001, 'Owain Glyndwr and the Siege of Coity Castle' Morgannwy Vol45
  • Morgan, R., 2000, 'Coity Castles's [sic] curious cross loops' Postern Vol12 p407
  • Spurgeon, Jack, 1987, 'The Castles of Glamorgan' Chateau Gaillard Vol13 p212-3
  • Spurgeon, C.J., 1983, ‘Coity Castle’, 130th annual meeting, Vale of Glamorgan, 1983: programme, CAA p18–19
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Chateau Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol112 p77-124
  • Fox, Cyril, 1928, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol83 p385-6
  • Clark, G.T., 1877, 'Coyty Castle and Lordship' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol32 p1-10

Guidebooks

  • Kenyon, John R. and Spurgeon, Jack, 2001, COITY CASTLE, OGMORE CASTLE, NEWCASTLE (CADW)
  • Radford, C.A.Ralegh, 1946, Coity Castle (HMSO)

Primary Sources

  • Rickard, John, 2002, The Castle Community. The Personnel of English and Welsh Castles, 1272-1422 (Boydell Press) [lists sources for 1272-1422] p205-6

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commerical purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself. The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others. This site is based upon the databases collated and maintained by Philip Davis who kindly gave permission for its use.