s a station on the Brecon and Merthyr railway at Bedwas.

The ancient commote of Senghenydd (corresponding to the modern hundred of
Caerphilly) comprised the mountainous district extending from the ridge of
Cefn Onn on the south to Breconshire on the north, being bounded by the
rivers Taff and Rumney on the west and east. Its inhabitants, though
nominally subject to the lords of Glamorgan since Fitzhamon's conquest,
enjoyed a large measure of independence and often raided the lowlands. To
keep these in check, Gilbert de Clare, during the closing years of the
reign of Henry III., built the castle of Caerphilly on the southern edge of
this district, in a wide plain between the two rivers. It had probably not
been completed, though it was already defensible, when Prince Llewelyn ab
Griffith, incensed by its construction and claiming its site as his own,
laid siege to it in 1271 and refused to retire except on conditions.
Subsequently completed and strengthened it became and still remains (in the
words of G.T. Clark) "both the earliest and the most complete example in
Britain of a concentric castle of the type known as 'Edwardian', the circle
of walls and towers of the outer, inner and middle wards exhibiting the
most complete illustration of the most scientific military architecture".
The knoll on which it stood was converted almost into an island by the
damming up of an adjacent brook, and the whole enclosed area amounted to 30
acres. The great hall (which is 73 ft. by 35 ft. and about 30 ft. high) is
a fine example of Decorated architecture. This and other additions are
attributed to Hugh le Despenser (1318-1326). Edward II. visited the castle
shortly before his capture in 1326. The defence of the castle was committed
by Henry IV. to Constance, Lady Despenser, in September 1403, but it was
shortly afterwards taken by Owen Glyndwr, to whose mining operations
tradition ascribes the leaning position of a large [v.04 p.0938] circular
tower, about 50 ft. high, the summit of which overhangs its base about 9
ft. Before the middle of the 15th century it had ceased to be a fortified
residence and was used as a prison, which was also the case in the time of
Leland (1535), who describes it as in a ruinous state. It is still,
however, one of the most extensive and imposing ruins of the kind in the
kingdom.

The town grew up around the castle but never received a charter or had a
governing body. In 1661 the corporation of Cardiff comp