Castell Dinas

Nearest town:
Crickhowell (12km SE)
OS reference:
SO17883010
OS sheet:
161
Latitude:
51° 57' 46.14 N
Longitude:
3° 11' 43.26 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The northeastern aspect of the excellent hillfort. Apologies for any shakiness; the wind was blowing a gale, despite the lovely sunshine.

Image credit: A. Brookes (19.3.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 11, 2023
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking down the upper Rhiangoll valley from Pen y Manllwyn.

Image credit: A. Brookes (15.4.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 6, 2020
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Retrospective from the early stages of Rhiw Trumau.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 3, 2015
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The hill fort from the western flank of Pen Trumau.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 2, 2015
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Looking from near the summit of Mynydd Troed... the hill fort’s terraced ramparts can be seen centre far left with the Bwlch Bach a’r Grib cairn overlooking to its right. Mynydd Bychan (platform cairn) and Y Das (round barrow) respectively rising beyond to the left.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 2, 2015
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The strategic positioning of the hill fort (left) is obvious when viewed from Mynydd Troed. The “Bwlch Bach a’r Grib” cairn (with buried cist) crowns the penultimate hump of Y Grib to the right.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 2, 2015
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking down on the lower northeastern defences from the highest part of the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.4.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 25, 2014
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The eastern flank, looking across the pass to the wonderful Y Grib ridge, climbing to the highest part of the Black Mountains.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.4.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 25, 2014
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The highest section of the fort, later occupied by a Welsh castle.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.4.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 25, 2014
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The upper ramparts are studded with stone – is this part of the original construction or the ruins of the later Welsh castle?

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.4.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 25, 2014
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Northern defences, looking through the rain to a (slightly) brighter Mid Wales.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.4.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 25, 2014
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Lower/outer defences, looking towards the Black Mountains ridges, hidden under low cloud.

Image credit: A. Brookes (5.4.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat May 25, 2014
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Looking from the upper reaches of the wondrous Y Grib....the hillfort crowns the final ‘hump’ of this splendid ridge before the elegant, sweeping escarpment of Mynydd Troed. Note the site of a very probable cist within a cairn beyond the bwlch.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 14, 2013
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The superb positionning of the hillfort (skyline centre) to control traffic through the pass between it and Mynydd Troed (skyline left) is all too evident from this view to the approx south, above and to the north of Cwm Charles. The next ‘hump’ of Y Grib, bearing the Bwlch Bach a’r Grib cairn, can be seen deep in shadow, centre right. There is apparently a further (excavated) Bronze Age cairn upon the foreground ridge. Missed that, unfortunately.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 25, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The central ‘redoubt’ of the site is seen right of image, with the exquisite Y Grib ridge centre. Whether this once featured a later medieval tower I’m not sure. However there are copious drystone debris within. Note the remains of the castle gatehouse centre left, occupying what I believe to be the original main hillfort entrance.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 28, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Looking towards Y Grib (left) and the high peaks of the main Black Mountains ridge [centre skyline]. A Bronze Age cairn – with all but certain cist – crowns the near-most ‘hump’ of Y Grib.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 28, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Mynydd Troed pokes its head above the mist. Nothing much on there. Just a chambered cairn and round cairn.... the usual around here.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 28, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Although no doubt repaired to serve the needs of the later castle, the Mam C decides an assault upon this fortress would have been a bit of a drag in the Iron Age. Note the fallen masonry ..

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 28, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Outer defences approaching from the pub......

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 28, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Outer defences to west? Certainly appear so to me....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 28, 2011
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Catell Dinas is centre left. Incidentally, the round barrow-crowned Y Das is left near skyline...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 28, 2010
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Telephoto shot from near the summit of Mynydd Troed [the hillfort is approx centre of image]. The Bwlch Bach a’r Grib cairn is sited upon the initial summit of the ridge rising above..

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 28, 2010
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The eye follows the Rhiangoll towards Castell Dinas and Mynydd Troed from the slopes of Pen y Manllwyn.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN May 7, 2010
Image of Castell Dinas (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The fort in the centre of the image, seen from the summit of Mynydd Troed. The Y Grib ridge is above the fort to the left, leading up to Waun Fach.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.4.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 27, 2010

Articles

Castell Dinas

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Mar 16, 2011

Low cloud continues to lie – like a wet blanket, perhaps – upon the high mountain summits of South Wales. However it’s not unusual. As that bloke from around these parts once sang.. what was his name, now? Big fella, bit hairy, wore a medallion? Consequently the Mam C and I embark on one of those ‘let’s drive around a bit and see what turns up’ mornings, the ones we subsequently pretend were clinically planned to the last detail... if everything works out.

Anyway, to cut a long story short we eventually find ourselves in the pub car park at the foot of Y Grib, a wonderful, narrow, grassy ridge which provides arguably the finest line of ascent to the high peaks of The Black Mountains. Not that you would realise any of this today. Not with an impenetrable wall of opaque vapour smothering the landscape to the east virtually down to ground level. Nevertheless, after handing over the quid parking fee (it goes to a local charity, by the way), we decide to visit the hillfort-cum-castle of Castell Dinas, which crowns the isolated, initial ‘hillock’ of Y Grib somewhere within the mist. Follow the footpath sign from the car park, descend to – and cross – the stream (no bridge), then basically head uphill. Even in virtually zero visibility (like today) it’s impossible to get lost, although the steep gradient, not to mention soaking hillside, means it’s all too easy to slip up in less abstract ways. Wear your boots... I performed a near perfect double twist with pike, but the Russian judge still wasn’t having it.

The initial outer defences encountered are comparatively minor – as you would probably expect – the ramparts presenting an attractive aspect courtesy of numerous skeletal trees diffusing the flow of clammy vapour. Very ethereal. The main citadel crowning the summit, however, is anything but minor. A medieval castle, apparently dating to the later 12th century, occupies/overlies the northern section of a fair sized Iron Age enclosure, the latter divided by a cross-rampart. Although no doubt repaired to serve the later castle, the inner ramparts remain very impressive, indeed, with an entrance at the north. The stump of a masonry gate tower here would suggest the practical Iron Age choice facing the easiest approach was adopted by the later inhabitants, too. Well, if it ain’t broke..... the remains of some kind of Great Tower crown the highest point of the enclosure, presumably medieval in origin.

As we walk the defences breaks appear in the swirling mantle of mist to reveal tantalising glimpses of Mynydd Troed to the south-west... and the rest of Y Grib rising to the Black Mountain summits to the north-east. Yeah, the next ‘hump’ in sequence, overlooking Bwlch Bach a’r Grib, possesses a Bronze Age cairn I’ve wanted to re-visit for a while now. Oh, why not? It’d be rude not to, now we’re here.

Finally note that the so called ‘holy well’ of Dinas Well can be found in the immediate northern environs at SO17893022 (shown on my 1:25k OS map). Holy? Perhaps. Practical? Definately.

Castell Dinas

C
CARL May 6, 2010

Visited this site last summer and although it involves a fair hike uphill it is easy enough to get to. Heading North along the A479 towards Talgarth you pass a pub on your right (can’t remember name). There is a parking area next to the pub with information boards. All you have to do is follow the fairly obvious path up hill. At the top are the scant remains of a castle which is said to be the highest castle in Britain – cracking views. From what I remember it took me about 20 minutes to reach the top.

Miscellaneous

Castell Dinas
Hillfort
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Dec 10, 2009

This site occupies the initial summit of a long, grassy ridge – known as Y Grib – which penetrates the fastness of The Black Mountains like some Masada siege ramp. During the course of relatively recent fieldnotes made at the Bwlch Bach a’r Grib cairn, I pondered that the remains of this medieval fortress looked very ‘hillforty’ in nature....

themodernantiquarian.com/site/11781/bwlch_bach_ar_grib_cairn.html

Somewhat surprisingly, I was in fact correct. According to Coflein:

‘The complex of defensive earthworks at Castell Dinas cover an area c.363m by 280m and represent the remains of an extensive masonry castle constructed over the site of an Iron Age enclosure’.

Although clearly best appreciated from the surrounding hills and mountains – particularly from Mynydd Troed across the valley – nothing suffices like actually setting foot upon the ramparts.... so another for the list, I guess.

Sites within 20km of Castell Dinas

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