Dinerth Castle

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Castle of Dinerth (or Welsh 'Castell Allt Craig Arth'), near Aberarth, Ceredigion, Wales (also known as Dineirth, Dinarth, Hero, Monachty) (ca.1110). The ruins of the medieval castle can be found on a hill a little way up the valley from the seaside town of Aberarth. The founder is thought to be one 'Richard de la Mare', a follower of Sir Richard Fitz Gilbert, Lord of Clare, an Anglo-Norman lord, who, by the archaeological evidence, built it on top of a previous defensive position.

The castle was razed by Gruffydd ap Rhys but probably rebuilt, as it is known to have been destroyed again by Owain Gwynedd in 1136. The castle probably spent the next fifty years passing from one feudal ruler to another. From Hywel to Cadwalader in 1144, and then ceded to Roger de Clare, 3rd Earl of Hertford in 1158, who garrisoned it. Destroyed by The Lord Rhys in 1164, it came into the possession of Maelgwn ap Rhys who lost it to, and recovered it from, his brother, Gruffydd ap Rhys . Maelgwn dismantled it to prevent his lands being held by Llywelyn the Great of Gwynedd. As Llewellyn then captured and held all the territory from the River Arth to the River Aeron, he conferred Dinerth on the sons of Maelgwn's brother Gruffydd as was rightfully due. The site was abandoned soon after.

The proposed pre-Norman (Roman and Viking) use of the site as a defensive position or fort, has led some historians to believe that this site may have some connection to the legendary King Arthur and Camelot. Taking 'Dindagwl', Welsh for 'Tintagel', as a reference, the Din meaning 'fort' in old Welsh and Cornish, and Arth meaning 'bear', the combination would be 'Fort of the Bear'. The castle has also been called "Hero" castle. In Scandinavian Hiro is a word meaning the 'king's carl'.

A 'receptaculi ursi' is referred to by King Arthur's contemporary, Gildas. This is also generally translated as 'Fort of the Bear'. However, it is usually thought to be a different Dinerth - a sub-Roman hillfort excavated on Bryn Euryn above Llandrillo-yn-Rhôs in Denbighshire - because it is mentioned in connection with King Cynlas of Rhôs.