Castlefacts³

Llandovery Town Defences

Has been described as a Questionable Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

Name	Llandovery Town Defences
Alternative Names	Llanymddyfri; Llanymdyfri
Historic Country	Carmarthenshire
Modern Authority	Carmarthenshire
1974 Authority	Dyfed
Community	Llandovery

There wers no town walls, and for the most part the borough was well defended by natural features. To the south flowed the Gwydderig, and joining it at the eastern end of the High Street was the Bran which flowed southwards from the Roman fort. On the west the (now vanished) eastern channel of the Tywi ran parallel to the present college road and was forded at the junction of Broad Street with Church Bank. Within the town was another stream, the Bawddwr, originally known as the Dyfi, which flowed down through the market-place and Broad Street, while a small section which joined the Gwydderig was incorporated into the castle moat. For the most part Bawddwr is now culverted. It was only on the north side that the town lay unguarded, and it is possible that the 'fossatum de Krenchey', the ditch mentioned in Richard III's 1485 charter to the burgesses, ran east-west, parallel to Garden Street. (Soulsby)

Gatehouse Comments

No one else seems to have taken up this suggestion of a town defence, and it seems unlikely this ditch was anything more than a drain and boundary marker.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)

100284

County Historic Environment Record

www.dyfedarchaeology.org.uk/heritagemanagement/her.htm

OS Map Grid Reference	SN766344
Latitude	51.9948806762695
Longitude	-3.79998993873596
Eastings	276600
Northings	234400