Marsh House, East Aberthaw

Has been described as a Rejected Uncertain

There are major building remains

NameMarsh House, East Aberthaw
Alternative Names
Historic CountryGlamorgan
Modern AuthorityVale of Glamorgan
1974 AuthoritySouth Glamorgan
CommunityRhoose

brick structure resembling the stone built Plantation period bawns in Ireland was erected by Thomas Spencer in the 1630's. A loopholed wall 0.6m thick and 2.3m high surrounded a court 30m long by 19m wide (Salter 1991)

Unique building with rich history dating back to 1636. Once a large county house which was fortified for use as a store for tobacco illegally imported into Wales.

The surviving remains were levelled for safety reasons prior to their being covered by an ash tip. (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

Gatehouse Comments

The site is under ash from the nearby power station. Although this is clearly an interesting site it is unclear as to why Salter includes it in a book of medieval castles. Rejected as a medieval fortification.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceST030667
Latitude51.3915214538574
Longitude-3.39464998245239
Eastings303080
Northings166780
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

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Books

  • Davis, Paul, R., 2011, The Forgotten Castles of Wales (Almeley: Logaston Press) p. 101-108 (mention)
  • Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p. 55
  • RCAHMW, 1988, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol. 4 Part 2 Farmhouses and Cottages (London: HMSO) p. 649
  • Griffiths, M. and Thomas, H.J., 1982 'Marsh House, East Aberthaw, Penmark, South Glamorgan’, in Annual Report 1981–82 (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p. 63–9

Journals

  • Spurgeon, C.J. and Thomas, H.J., 1997, 'Marsh House, Aberthaw: A seventeenth-Century fortified tobacco store in Glamorgan' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 146 p. 127-37
  • Griffiths, M., 1982, ‘Marsh House, East Aberthaw, Penmark’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 22 p. 45–6
  • Griffiths, M. and Thomas, H.J., 1982, ‘Archaeological notes: Marsh House, Aberthaw’ Morgannwg Vol. 26 p. 84–8 online copy