Laugharne Town Defences

Has been described as a Possible Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameLaugharne Town Defences
Alternative NamesAbercorran; Abercorram; Abercoran; Talacharn
Historic CountryCarmarthenshire
Modern AuthorityCarmarthenshire
1974 AuthorityDyfed
CommunityLaugharne Township

The principal problem relating to the history of medieval Laugharne concerns the matter of town's defences. The borough's historian has asserted that it was, indeed, walled (Curtis p. 36), although in 1835 the Municipal Commissioners stated a contrary opinion (Municipal Corporations Report p. 288). There is no record of any murage grant, although authority to enclose the town was given in 1465. Curtis states that one of the gates was located above the bridge in Wogan Street, near Island House; a second at the eastern end of Victoria Street; and another, removed c. 1780, stood by the Mariners' Corner (Curtis p. 36). Although these were presumably built of stone, the walls are unlikely to have been more than an earthen bank and ditch since no masonry remains were noticed by later observers. (Soulsby)

Gatehouse Comments

By 1465 the risk from welsh rebellion was slight but piracy remained a problem for coastal towns, although it should be noted that Laugharne, itself, was noted as a centre of pirates in Elizabethan times. Llareggub Sniamer.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSN301107
Latitude51.769588470459
Longitude-4.46369981765747
Eastings230100
Northings210700
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2013, Medieval Walled Towns (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 175
  • Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 27, 67, 83, 273
  • Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p. 35 (mention)
  • Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds), Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report 61) p. 92-116 online copy
  • Soulsby, Ian, 1983, The Towns of Medieval Wales (Phillimore; Chichester) p. 158-60 (plan)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 61
  • Richard, A.J., 1935, in Lloyd, J.E. (ed), History of Carmathenshire (Cardiff) Vol. 1 p. 317
  • Curtis, M., 1880, Antiquities of Laugharne (Clay, Sons and Taylor)

Journals

  • Creighton, Oliver, 2006, ''Castles of Communities': Medieval Town Defences in England; Wales and Gascony' Château Gaillard Vol. 22 p. 75-86
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132