Brecon Beacons & Southeast Wales - Wales - page 210

An Iron Age hill fort on Pen-y-Crug (331m), northwest of town, and the remains of a
Roman camp at Y Gaer, to the west, testify to the site's antiquity. After the Romans, the
area was ruled by the Irish-born king Brychan, who married into a Welsh royal house in
the 5th century. The town takes its name from him, and his kingdom, Brycheiniog (angli-
cised to Brecknock), gave its name to the old county of Brecknockshire. Merthyr Tydfil
was named for Brychan's daughter, St Tudful.
It was not until Norman times that Brecon began to burgeon. The local Welsh prince,
Rhys ap Tewdwr, was defeated in 1093 by Bernard de Neufmarché, a Norman lord, who
then built the town's castle and church (which is now a cathedral). The scant remains of
the castle have been incorporated into the Castle of Brecon Hotel. Across the road from
the hotel is the original Norman motte, capped by the ivy-clad Ely Tower OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP (not open to the public).