Wern y Cwrt Motte, Bryngwyn

Has been described as a Possible Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameWern y Cwrt Motte, Bryngwyn
Alternative Names
Historic CountryMonmouthshire
Modern AuthorityMonmouthshire
1974 AuthorityGwent
CommunityLlanarth

A steep-sided mound, 26m in diameter and 4.5m high, with traces of a ditch; claimed locally to guard the bones of Civil War casualties. (Coflein)

Small motte probably C12 on an old east-west road, in valley of agricultural land.

The interpretation of this site, based on actual remains, survey and location is that the small motte and bailey represent an element within the system of land tenure, possibly held for part of a knight's fee. Such a site would have been needed to control settlement after the frontier of conquest had passed the area by. Bryngwyn does not present any major outworks that would be expected for a castle in hostile territory and Bryngwyn is, therefore, interpreted as mid period motte and bailey, a defended settlement site rather than an offensive conquest castle. (Phillips)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). The motte is located in a field immediately S of the A40. It is a steep-sided conical mound, 3.5m high, with a flat top 10m in diameter. There is no evidence for a ditch surrounding the motte. (Scheduling Report)

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 ReferenceSO393088
Latitude51.7745895385742
Longitude-2.8797299861908
Eastings339390
Northings208800
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 244, 255, 256 (listed trice)
  • Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p. 110-164
  • Phillips, Neil, 2006, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (British Archaeological Reports) p. 128-9
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 281
  • Bradney, J.A., 1906, History of Monmouthshire Vol. 2 p. 102

Journals

  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  • Wakeman, T., 1855, 'Prehistoric Remains in Monmouthshire' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 10 p. 16-17 online copy

Other

  • Phillips, Neil, 2005, Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050-1250 (PhD Thesis University of Sheffield) Download