Aberafan Town Walls

Has been described as a Rejected Urban Defence

There are no visible remains

NameAberafan Town Walls
Alternative Names
Historic CountryGlamorgan
Modern AuthorityNeath Port Talbot
1974 AuthorityWest Glamorgan
CommunityAberavon

Medieval & later borough, incorporated 1283; subsumed in growth of Port Talbot: med. borough presumably located in the area of the castle (Nprn307113), the church (Nprn401426) & the High Street to the N & E, where the main coast road crosses the Afan, although reports of the town being overcome by sea & by sand, 1491-2, suggest an earlier location to seaward, possibly in the area of Burgess-green (at SS75718991). (Coflein)

Gatehouse Comments

Reference in document of 1643 to 'Town walls' is unsupported by any other reference, tradition or remains. However, Lewis mentions damage being done to the sea-walls in the early C17. Soulsby writes "It does not appear to have been fortified, and the only recorded defences were those thrown up against the encroaching sand."

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSS762901
Latitude51.5962982177734
Longitude-3.78746008872986
Eastings276200
Northings190100
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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

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Books

  • Soulsby, Ian, 1983, The Towns of Medieval Wales (Phillimore; Chichester) p. 64
  • O'Brien, J., 1926, Old Afan and Margam (Port Talbot) p. 49
  • Davies, L., 1914, Outlines of the History of the Aberavon District (Aberafan) p. 55-6
  • Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales online copy

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
  • Evans, A.L., 1971, 'The ordinances of the Borough of Afan' Transactions of the Port Talbot Historical Society Vol. 2 p. 23-5