Castell Crychydd

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Ringwork)

There are earthwork remains

NameCastell Crychydd
Alternative NamesHerons Castle; Castell Cicydd
Historic CountryPembrokeshire
Modern AuthorityPembrokeshire
1974 AuthorityDyfed
CommunityClydau

'Heron's Castle': the embanked motte encloses an area some 24m across, showing a clear causewayed entrance into the banked & ditched bailey enclosure on the west, which is some 70m north-west to south-east by 38m: the earthworks on the west, where the bailey rests on a stream, may represent some form of water management feature (a mill, or fishpond). Motte and bailey castle in very good state of preservation. The castle mound rises 20ft (6.1m) above the encircling ditch. The mound is saucer shaped and the interior is 12ft (3.6m) below the edges. Bailey bank exists on north and south On the west the ground is scarped. Source: Extract from Cadw FMW report, 1950. (Coflein)

These fragmentary ruins are all that remain of a small castle, also sometimes known as Heron's Castle. It consisted of a defensive ringwork, made up of a wall of stone slabs laid in clay, and a bailey. The castle seems to have no recorded history. (Reid 1998)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built during the medieval period. A motte and bailey castle comprises a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil or stone (the motte) surrounded by, or adjacent to, one or more embanked enclosures (the bailey). Both may be surrounded by wet or dry ditches and could be further strengthened with palisades, revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte. At Castell Crychydd the motte rises 6.1m above the encircling ditch and is saucer shaped, the interior of c 24m diameter is c 3.5m below the edges. A causewayed entrance on the west crosses into a banked & ditched bailey measuring c 70m north-west to south-east by 38m, earthworks on the west where the bailey lies on a stream may represent a mill, or fishpond. (Scheduling Report)

Gatehouse Comments

Despite the Coflein report of a motte this is a ringwork. The use of clay bonded stonework is moderately common in Wales where, apart from in the North, limestone, for lime mortar, is rare. However, once a clay bonded wall is exposed to rain the clay will wash away leaving just rubble and this building technique may well have been much more common.

- 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 ReferenceSN261347
Latitude51.9842491149902
Longitude-4.53298997879028
Eastings226150
Northings234780
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 247 (listed)
  • Hull, Lise, 2005, Castles and Bishops Palaces of Pembrokeshire (Logaston Press) p. 68
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 178
  • Davis, Paul, 2000, A Company of Forts. A Guide to the Medieval Castles of West Wales (Gomer Press) p. 28-9
  • Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p. 50
  • Salter, Mike, 1996, The Castles of South West Wales (Malvern) p. 86 (slight)
  • Miles, Dillwyn, 1979 (Revised 1988), Castles of Pembrokeshire (Pembrokeshire Coast National Park) p. 5-7
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 392
  • RCAHMW, 1925, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Pembrokeshire (HMSO) p. 74 no. 182 online copy
  • Laws, E. and Owen, H., 1908, Archaeological Survey of Pembrokeshire 1896-1907 (Tenby) p. 29

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
  • King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127
  • 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