The Nevern Castle Project - Aims of Excavations and Site History
AIMS
To assess the archaeological potential of Nevern Castle. The site was
one of the earliest 12th century Welsh masonry castles, which was in part
constructed by the Lord Rhys. It developed from an early 12th century
Norman motte and bailey castle and contains undisturbed evidence of 12th
century life in Wales. The site was almost certainly the site of the 11th
century llys of the Welsh lord Cunhelyn beneath which may lay a 5/6th
–8th century high status site. The 5/6th century ‘lords’
Maglocu, Clutorius and Vitalianus are commemorated with inscribed stones
in St Brynach’s church barely 200 yards from the site.
HISTORY
Existing historical records suggest that this castle was the 11th century
site of the local Welsh lord Cuhelyn prior to its capture by Robert FitzMartin
in the Anglo-Norman conquest of Pembrokeshire circa 1108. FitzMartin created
Nevern as the caput for his barony of Cemais, the motte on this site is
almost certainly the castle that he established. The bailey was also probably
part of this castle, though it may have additionally protected the borough
of 18 houses he established. Subsequent Welsh recapture of northern Pembrokeshire
in 1136, following the battle of Crug Mawr, probably gave control of the
site to the Welsh, and after 1156 this meant the Lord Rhys. After 1158
Rhys returned most of the captured lands he held to their Norman lords,
though he recaptured many of them again in the 1160’s. In 1171,
after reaching a binding agreement with Henry II, he was allowed to retain
his ancestral lands of Deheubarth, but returned other lands to their Norman
lords. It is highly likely that the ownership of the castle had passed
on to William FitzMartin (Robert’s son) by 1171, especially since
William married Angharad, the Lord Rhys’s daughter, probably in
the 1170’s or 1180’s. Following the death of Henry II, in
1191 the Lord Rhys captured Nevern Castle from his son-in-law. Control
of the castle then swapped back and forth between the Lord Rhys and two
of his sons (Hywel Sais and Maelgwn ap Rhys), before the death of the
Lord Rhys in 1197. In 1204 Anglo-Norman forces recaptured north Pembrokeshire
including Nevern. However, it is recorded that in 1195 Hywel Sais destroyed
Nevern Castle to prevent it falling into Anglo-Norman hands. It is likely
that a new castle and borough had been established in Newport by 1204
and there is no record that Nevern castle was ever rebuilt.
The Lord Rhys is the first Welsh prince recorded as building using stone and mortar, which he did at his castle of Cardigan in 1171. He was the dominant Welsh leader in South Wales from 1156 to 1194 and it is likely the tradition of Welsh masonry castle building, which is seen in later castles, such as Dolwyddelan and Dolbadarn built by the princes of Gwynedd, started with the Lord Rhys in Deheubarth (West Wales). Few, if any, traces of 12th century work remain at the Lord Rhys’s principal castles of Dinefwr or Cardigan, since they suffered from extensive later building work. If, as history suggests, Nevern was abandoned in 1195 the remains of one of Lord Rhys’s 12th century masonry castles may be preserved as well as the associated material culture of the 12th century, which is so rare in the rest of Wales. Beneath the late 12th century masonry castle may also be the earlier original earth and timber Norman castle of the early 12th century and beneath that the remains of a Welsh llys of the 11th century.