Llangiwa Castle

Llangiwa Castle stands on a low mound in open farmland near the village of Llangiwa, close to Cowbridge and Llanblethian in the Vale of Glamorgan. It is a simple earthwork castle, built in the 12th century without the usual surrounding defensive wall called a bailey. These motte-and-bailey castles were introduced to Britain by the Normans and soon copied by the Welsh. The castle is one of many such mounds across Wales, most dating from the late 11th to the mid-12th century. It is recognised as an important early medieval site and is protected by Cadw, the Welsh historic environment service. The largest concentration of these mottes lies along the historic Welsh Marches, stretching from Shropshire and Cheshire into Powys and Flintshire. Visitors find a quiet grassy mound rising above the fields, with no standing buildings left. The site is peaceful and open, offering a clear view of the surrounding countryside. It is a place to imagine how the Normans first built these simple strongholds and how the Welsh later adapted the idea. The lack of modern intrusions makes it easy to picture life in the 12th century.