Gydweli - Kidwelly - Carmarthenshire, Wales, Great Britain. - Artistic Welcome Signs on Waymarking.com

A roadside sign welcoming drivers to Cydweli - Kidwelly, in Welsh and English. The sign features a silhouette of the Castle, and shows St Marys church & the Kidwelly black Cat, all hand painted.

"The earliest written form of the name, 'Cetgueli', is recorded by the monk, Nennius, writing in the 9th century. One theory is that the name means the land, territory or kingdom of Cadwal. Another theory is that the name is the combination of the two words 'Cyd' (joint) and 'Gweli' (bed), i.e., the joining of the two river beds Gwendraeth Fawr and Gwendraeth Fach, wherein Cydweli lies. The town itself is ancient, established by written records at around 1115 AD.

The substantial and well preserved castle and church were established by the invading Normans in 1106. The earliest castle on the site was a typical Norman motte and bailey design that was made of earth and timber. The 13th century re-design was commissioned by Edward I Longshanks as a strategic part of his 'Ring of Steel' oppression against the Welsh. At the time of the stone castle's creation, Kidwelly benefited from the latest strategic military thinking in castle design. It had a concentric design with one circuit of defensive walls set within another to allow the castle to be held even if the outer wall should fall. The great gatehouse was begun late in the 14th century but it wasn’t completed until 1422, somewhat due to the Welsh rebel Owain Glyn Dwr’s efforts to reclaim Welsh independence." Text Source: (visit link)

Relevant Website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit - something more than, "Drove past this today." You are encouraged to add a new photo, but this is not mandatory. If you can add any further information about the sign or community, that would be appreciated.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   02/23/2013 veritas vita visited it