Pipton Tower

Has been described as a Questionable Masonry Castle, and also as a Questionable Pele Tower

There are masonry footings remains

NamePipton Tower
Alternative NamesPyperton, Periton
Historic CountryBrecknockshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityBronllys

Mound some 18m diameter by 1,8m high composed of building rubble. Possible ditch to north 100m long by 7m wide by 0.05m deep. Probably the remains of a defensive round tower though formerly noted as Cairn by Savory 1954; OS 1964. Low mound of earth and building rubble appears to mark the site of a small medieval round tower. Possibly associated with a 'fortified ecclesiastical site' mentioned in 1223 (Martin and Walters 1993, 113). (RCS 7) At PIPTON on level meadow between the WYE and the LLYNFI is a circular grass- and tree-grown mound, 17.1 m in diameter and 1.5 m high. Although traditionally considered to have been Bronze Age, its proximity to the manorial centre of Pipton makes it more likely this was a medieval viewing platform. RCAHMW, 1995 - Draft Inventory description. Mound is overgrown with grass and trees, but pieces of shaped stone are visible on the summit. Excavation of the summit showed it was built primarily of stone, mostly rough building stone, but also many pieces of flagstone (Cadw 1998).' (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

The remains probably suggest that the castle consisted of a simple round tower set in the shallows of the River Wye. (Remfry)

Remains of a stone structure, possible a tower. Pipton may be the same as Periton, mentioned 1233 (CCR, 272). (King and Hogg)

De castro de Periton' rescutiendo.—Mandatum est Henrico de Trublevill' quod cum Rogerus Bocham castrum de Periton', quod rex commisit Willelmo de Gamag' custodiendum, obsederit, ita quod ipse Willelmus illud gente et victualibus munire non potest, in fide qua regi tenetur festinum consilium apponat quod castrum illud rescutiatur; et, si postquam rescussum fuerit, tale fuerit castrum quod expediat illud in manum regis tenere, tunc illud gente et victualibus muniri faciat. Alioquin ante recessum suum illud funditus prosterni faciat. Teste ut supra. (Teste rege apud Evesham, xxiij. die Septembri) Per episcopum Wintoniensem

(Calendar Close Rolls p. 272)

Gatehouse Comments

Clearly a difficult site to interpret without excavation. The identification as Periton is speculative. The Aberllynfi motte and bailey is just 300m to the east. Is this a small castle site, a later 'pele' tower or a bell tower for a recorded but now vanished chapel?

- Philip Davis

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 ReferenceSO167381
Latitude52.035228729248
Longitude-3.214359998703
Eastings316790
Northings238120
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • RCAHMW, 1997, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Brecknock (Brycheiniog); The Prehistoric and Roman Monuments, Part i
  • Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p. 121
  • Remfry, Paul, 1998, Castles of Breconshire (Logaston Press)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 22, 564
  • Rees, Wm, 1932, Map of South Wales and the Border in the 14th century (Ordnance Survey) (A handbook to the map was published in 1933)

Journals

  • 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
  • Savory, H.N., 1954, 'Stone maceheads from Denbighshire and Glamorgan' Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies Vol. 15 p. 303-4
  • 1933, Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club opp p. 41
  • Dawson, M.L., 1918, 'Notes on the history of Glasbury' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 73 p. 6-34

Primary Sources

Other

  • Martin, C.H.R. and Walters, M.J., 1993, Brecknock Borough Historic Settlements (CPAT report)