Carreg Cennen Castle

(Click on photos to enlarge)

This is Carreg Cennen Castle, which perches high on its limestone cliff, between Black Mountain and Llandeilo, near a little village called Trap.

You really need to see it from the far side to appreciate its place in the landscape, as it is stunningly situated. The view below will have to suffice though. Here is an excellent link:
http://www.castlewales.com/carreg.html

The castle was originally built by the Princes of Deheubarth, but the present buildings date from the 13th century and Edward I's monumental castle building programme throughout Wales.


Just to the left of the main entrance, the ruined gatehouse was a good place to shelter from a brief heavy shower of rain.

This was part of an ingenious water-collection system, which collected rain water from the roof (there is nothing new under the sun) - presumably into a huge wooden water butt, no longer extant.

Looking up into a ruined stairway and corbelling at the edge of what was the roof.

A view from a window across to Black Mountain, with its Bronze Age cairns.


Heavy rain the previous night had flooded some areas, including the N-E (or was it N-W?) tower . . . My daughter and her boyfriend were intrepid, however. . .

It helps to have long legs!

A view of the inner ward.

This is a the bottom of the stairway which leads into a deep tunnel beneath the castle. Those intrepid folks with good torches (my daughter and boyfriend) could explore further. I freaked myself out last time we did this last year, as I was at the back of 5 and furthest away from the torch . . . Gosh it was black down there!

Looking down into what had been a lime kiln for the castle, essential for the building works and maintenance.

As I said, Carreg Cennen Castle is perched on a limestone cliff. This is the back of it. Pretty sheer.


Tomorrow I will post some more photos of the agricultural implements stored in the 11th century Welsh longhouse at Carreg Cennen farm (it predates the castle).