Cardigan Castle - newel stair

Description

Detail of stone newel stair in the thickness of the south wall of the D-shaped tower.
There are substantial remains of the the castle known to have been rebuilt in 1240 and ordered to be demolished in 1645. These include a rather irregular enclosure, about 90m NE-SW by 44m, resting on steep slopes on the south-east, with the south-western end clothing natural crags above the Teifi. Portions of the curtain wall survive and in the tall embankment overlooking the bridge it is surmounted by a World War II pill-box.There are remains of three semi-circular towers, the largest & most elaborate incorporated into the early nineteenth century Castle Green House, as well as one, possibly two rectilinear 'bastions', at the north-east and south angles. Survey and excavation in 1984 suggested that early nineteenth century garden landscaping radically altered the area of the castle, destroying much of its surviving fabric. However, it appears that large parts of the current walled circuit follow the line of the medieval encience.