Old Radnor Castle

in the town next to (above) the church,
Powys, mid-Wales SO 250 590

The deeply-ditched site at Old Radnor is a curious one, and Paul Remfry notes that historians differ as to the origins of the "castle". While some think that Old Radnor may be a "pre-1066 Welsh site," many historians feel that the site is of a later date and is somehow connected with the nearby church. Mike Salter theorizes that the site was the likely location of a rectory associated with the church. At first glance Old Radnor appears to consist of a round or oval ditch enclosing a modest sized platform, however a more careful examination reveals that both the ditch and the platform are D-shaped, perhaps due to a portion of the site being destroyed by later building works. There is no evidence that the site was ever fortified in stone, nor are there any indications to suggest that Old Radnor was a precursor to the impressive castle found at New Radnor. It is also unknown if Old Radnor was connected with Castle Nimble, a somewhat weak masonry castle found nearby.

References:

Paul M. Remfry, The Castles of Radnorshire, Logaston Press, 1996.
Mike Salter, The Castles of Mid Wales, Folly Publications, 2001.

Below: view across the ditch and platform at Old Radnor towards the church.

Other views of the motte castle at Old Radnor

Visit the parish church at Old Radnor

Home | Main Menu | Castle Index | Historical Essays | Recommended Castles | What's New | Links

Copyright © 2009 by Jeffrey L. Thomas