Llansteffan Castle

Nearest town:
Kidwelly (7km E)
OS reference:
SN352102
OS sheet:
159
Latitude:
51° 45' 56.45 N
Longitude:
4° 23' 18.63 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by juamei

Image Credit: Natural Resources Wales

Image credit: LiDAR Composite Dataset. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0.
juamei
juamei Mar 25, 2018
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The view from the fort to the confluence of rivers Tywi and Taf, no doubt important transport arteries in the Iron Age.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.8.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 28, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The fort’s placement ensures that it dominates the mouth of the Tywi.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.8.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 28, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The southern (cliff-ward) end of the western ramparts. The Gower can be seen in the distance, right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.8.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 28, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The inner of the double banks on the west side of the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.8.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 28, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Seen from the north-east and emphasising the cliff-top positioning of the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.8.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 28, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Summer’s morning reprise of previous evening’s view. The hilllfort/castle is centre.

Image credit: A. Brookes (7.7.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 25, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Summer sunset over Llansteffan, from Ferryside on the opposite bank of the Towy.

Image credit: A. Brookes (6.7.2013)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 25, 2013
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by postman

Llanstefan castle occupies what was once an iron age fort, they both had terrific views up and down the Afon Towy

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 27, 2012
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by postman

Iron age earthworks half surround the castle, if it works keep using it.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 27, 2012
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by postman

Iron age earthworks
“Eric get back here right now, I don’t care what the man with the big camera did”

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 27, 2012
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by postman

Iron age earthworks winding round north west edge of the castle.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 27, 2012
Image of Llansteffan Castle (Hillfort) by postman

Iron age earthworks, just round the corner from the castle gates.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Aug 27, 2012

Articles

Llansteffan Castle

postman
postman Aug 27, 2012

Back in April, Eric and me visited Lawhaden castle, whilst there we learned that the not too far away castle at llansteffan was built within an Iron age fort, Four months later we are back in the southest of Wales so which castle shall we go to ? Well really I’d have preferred Pembroke castle but that one is a payer where as llansteffan is free to enter .

We parked by the beach, ignored the mobile chippy and the ice cream van, but not the lyrics to the Bosses song from last year, we’re by the beach, you know which song. In the corner of the car park is the signposted start of the path up to the castle, as we are passing a natty creepy model of Pegasus Eric starts complaining about a hurting leg, I think of Sweetcheats leg and I hope it isn’t a torn hamstring. After much limping and stopping and starting we reach the top and stand before the entrance to this impressive castle. I like castles, not as much as my brother though, he cant see the attraction of a cairn or a menhir and sometimes laughs at my somewhat frugal rewards for long drives. He doesn’t get it at all.

We backtrack from the castle entrance and peer round the corner. I’m a bit gob smacked, are they really iron age ramparts ? It could just be a moat, but the authorities assure us they are iron age and after climbing the fence we can see that after the first rampart there is a second ditch not as deep as the first, but, it is proof of the iron age, castles don’t have two moats.
We follow the ditch round to where it fades into the undergrowth and down steep crags. The view out across the wide river mouth is a good one, and what a place to watch over the area controlled by our iron age folk.

We run out of earthworks and Eric drags me off into the castle, stairs to climb, nooks to explore and walls to clamber on, GET OFF RIGHT NOW.
It is running very late and we’ve got a very long drive home, strangely, as we ran back down the hill side his leg isn’t bothering him at all, nothing torn here, just growing pains, my dads catch all explanation.

Miscellaneous

Llansteffan Castle
Hillfort
C
CARL Aug 27, 2013

When I visited Llansteffan Castle (CADW site) several years ago it was pouring down with rain and I approached from the north via Church Road.

If memory serves me right it was a steep walk up to the castle along the footpath but the coastal views to be had when you reached the castle made the effort well worthwhile.

I must admit that I didn’t know anything about the site being of prehistoric origin but given its location it is hardly surprising.

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