Castell Aberlleiniog
Top 12 in Top 13 Most Historical Sites in Anglesey
Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, constructed the motte-and-bailey fortification known as Castell Aberlleiniog between 1080 and 1099 close to the Welsh village of Llangoed on the Isle of Anglesey. It is located on top of a very steep hill, roughly two miles from Beaumaris Castle.
Abergwyngregyn's Norman fortress stands just across the Menai Strait from Castell Aberlleiniog, demonstrating how crucial visual contact was to the Norman invaders. Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, who invaded Gwynedd in 1088, is thought to have built it. Few historical records exist that describe the events the castle has witnessed throughout the course of its history, but some do, including a chronicle of a siege by Gruffudd ap Cynan on his return from Ireland in 1094.
Before Thomas Cheadle, the constable of Beaumaris destroyed it in the middle of the 17th century, the original Norman timber structure had long since been replaced by a stone building. The location was renovated in 2008 and is now (2016) accessible to the public. Every corner of the keep contained a round tower, the remnants of which can still be seen. The keep had large ramparts fronted by a short wall rising to a parapet.
Location: Llangoed, Beaumaris LL58 8RY, Anglesey
