Buddugre Castle

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Buddugre Castle (sometimes referred to as Tomen Bedd-Ugre, Castell Cwm Aran, Tomen Bedd Turc and Bedd-y-gre) was a motte and bailey defensive fortification overlooking the River Ithon, located in the community of Llanddewi Ystradenny, in Radnorshire (modern-day Powys), Wales. [1] It is believed to have been built as a defensive measure in the medieval period, during the 12th century, [2] as a timber castle.

River Ithon river in the United Kingdom

The River Ithon is a major left-bank tributary of the River Wye in Powys, mid Wales. It rises in the broad saddle between the western end of Kerry Hill and the hill of Glog to its west and flows initially southwards to Llanbadarn Fynydd. It then takes a twisting route south via the villages of Llanbister, Llanddewi Ystradenni and Penybont before turning southwest, then doubling back northwards towards Crossgates. From here it resumes a southwesterly course, flowing past Llandrindod Wells to a confluence with the Wye, 1 mile to the south of Newbridge-on-Wye.

Llanddewi Ystradenni is a community in Radnorshire, Powys, Wales. The population of the Community at the 2011 census was 310.

Radnorshire Historic county of Wales

Radnor or Radnorshire is a sparsely populated area, one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2011 census, had a population of 25,821. The historic county was bounded to the north by Montgomeryshire and Shropshire, to the east by Herefordshire, to the south by Brecknockshire and to the west by Cardiganshire.

Contents

History

Owain, King of Gwynedd is credited with building the castle in Budugre in 1149 as a defense measure for the vale of Clwyd. This brought Owain close to conflict with Madog ap Maredudd, the ruler of Powys who was opposed to any encroachment of his powers. [2] [3] It is also said that it could have been built by Cadwallon, set high on top of a hill instead of in a valley akin to Norman castles of this period. [4]

The Vale of Clwyd(Welsh: Dyffryn Clwyd) is a tract of low-lying ground in the county of Denbighshire in northeast Wales. The Vale extends south-southwestwards from the coast of the Irish Sea for some 20 miles forming a triangle of low ground bounded on its eastern side by the well-defined scarp of the Clwydian Range and to the west by numerous low hills. The River Clwyd (Welsh: Afon Clwyd) which rises within Clocaenog Forest, southwest of Denbigh, runs the full length of the vale. It is joined by the two major left bank tributaries of the River Clywedog (Welsh: Afon Clywedog) and River Elwy (Welsh: Afon Elwy) and the smaller right bank tributary of the River Wheeler (Welsh: Afon Chwiler).

Madog ap Maredudd King of Powys

Madog ap Maredudd was the last Prince of the entire Kingdom of Powys, Wales and for a time held the Fitzalan Lordship of Oswestry.

Cadwallon ap Ieuaf was a King of Gwynedd.

Features

The castle structures on the mound located at the southern extremity of a ridge that faces south. The slopes of the ridge are towards west and south and on its east towards the Ithon Valley [4] but are long gone, but the land still clearly bears the marks of a ditched motte. The motte has a diameter of 34 metres (112 ft) and raises to a height of 6 metres (20 ft), with an oval embankment and ditched bailey; the ditch measuring 1 metre (3 ft 3 in). The ditched bailey measures 38 by 56 metres (125 ft × 184 ft). There are indications of a rectangular range surrounding the motte which measures 26 by 10 metres (85 ft × 33 ft) in an eastern direction. The top of the mound is flat, over which it is conjectured that a structure made either of timber or stone had existed as a defensive measure. Also seen close to the mound are "crop marks" which could have been a court, the llys. [1] [3] Y The ditch that surrounds the motte has two 2 causeways over it running from the south and south-west. There is entry to the bailey from the south. A hut platform inside the bailey facing the south-west causeway over the ditch is made of earth and measures about 12 by 5 metres (39 ft × 16 ft). [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Evans 1974, p. 180.
  3. 1 2 "Looking for history under the branches: Issue no 34". British Archaeology Journal. May 1998. Archived from the original on 2012-08-12. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  4. 1 2 3 "Tomen Bedd Urge, Llanddewi Ystradenny". Gatehouse Gazetteer. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
Bibliography
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Coordinates: 52°19′03″N3°19′15″W / 52.3175°N 3.3208°W / 52.3175; -3.3208

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