St Marys Yard Mound, Llanfair Kilgeddin

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameSt Marys Yard Mound, Llanfair Kilgeddin
Alternative NamesLlanfair Kilgedin; St Mary Hill
Historic CountryMonmouthshire
Modern AuthorityMonmouthshire
1974 AuthorityGwent
CommunityLlanover

D-shaped mound, 28m by 22m and 2.5m high, resting on a river cliff above the Usk to the E, ditched elsewhere. Flat motte top a rhomboid with sides about 12m. (Coflein)

'a later fortified-site dependent on land tenure, possibly held for part of a knight’s fee. Such a site would have been needed to control settlement after the frontier of conquest had passed the area by. It is possible that the site may have once been a motte but the location and present size make this unlikely.' (Philips)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). The motte is located on the W bank of the river Usk, and the ground drops sharp below the site to the river. The motte consists of a steep sided, flat topped mound, 3.5m high, and is D-shaped with the straight side being adjacent to the river. The top is 16m long (N/S) and 13m wide. On the N side there is a ditch 1.8m deep and 4m wide. (Scheduling Report)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO349069
Latitude51.7573394775391
Longitude-2.94333004951477
Eastings334980
Northings206940
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 243 (listed)
  • Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p. 110-164
  • Phillips, Neil, 2006, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (British Archaeological Reports) p. 230-1
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 146
  • Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p. 74 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 284

Journals

  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124

Other

  • Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (PhD Thesis University of Sheffield) Download