What is recorded here

Cardigan Castle is a medieval stone fortress overlooking the River Teifi in Wales, rebuilt in 1244 after decades of changing hands between Norman and Welsh rulers. It hosted the first recorded eisteddfod in 1176, marking a rare moment when military power shared space with musical and poetic competition. The castle survived civil war damage, prison use, and neglect before restoration revealed its layered history of conflict, culture, and endurance.

The National Monuments Record of Wales records Cardigan Castle as Castle from the Medieval period. The saved point comes from the official national record. Inclusion does not by itself mean that the public may enter the place.

Cardigan Castle was built in the 12th century by the Norman lord Bernard de Neufmarché and later held by the powerful de Harcourt family. It is important as a key example of early Norman military architecture in Wales and as a strategic stronghold during the Norman conquest of the region.

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