Madocs Castle

Has been described as a Questionable Fortified Manor House

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameMadocs Castle
Alternative NamesCastell Madog; Garth
Historic CountryGlamorgan
Modern AuthorityMerthyr Tydfil
1974 AuthorityMid Glamorgan
CommunityPant

Farm built on the site of a small castle or fortified manor house, called Madoc's Castle, known to have been abandoned by the 14th century. The Post Medieval (early 18th century) farmhouse of Garth belongs to the hearth passage group of sub-Medieval houses, and is of the three-unit chimney backing on entry type, with hall between heated outer and narrow inner rooms. A characteristic feature of the building is the lateral stone stairs within an outshut. The Merthyr Tithe map of 1850 details the layout of the area's farmsteads and holdings prior to the arrival of the Brecon and Merthyr Railway. The holding of Garth, Owned by one Mary Williams, was characterised by an irregular arrangement of linear fields, possibly amalgamated Medieval strip fields. (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Spurgeon writes Garth Farm is a recent building; that it's former name was Castell Madog; that there is a brief reference to a castle here (Wilkins); that there are no traces of earthworks that might indicate a former castle. Isolated from medieval settlement. In Hague's provisional list of castle site but the suggestion that the current building contains ancient work is dismissed by Spurgeon. However there remains a slight possibility that this was a castle site.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO064095
Latitude51.7765502929688
Longitude-3.35805010795593
Eastings306400
Northings209520
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

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 256 (listed as manorial ruin -mislocated in Monmouthshire and wrong map ref.)
  • Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p. 75 (slight)
  • Hague, D.B., 1971, in Pugh, T.B. (ed), Glamorgan County History Vol. 3 The Middle Ages (Cardiff) p. 443
  • Wilkins, 1867, History of Merthyr Tydfil p. 26

Journals

  • Spurgeon, C.J. with Roberts, D.J. and Thomas, H.J., 1999, 'Supposed Castles in Glamorgan; A review' Archaeology in Wales Vol. 39 27-40