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Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales

Former SE Tower at Ewenny Priory (house)

Ewenny, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

A Grade II* listed building in Ewenny Priory, Ewenny, Vale of Glamorgan, designated on 3 March 1998.

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913) covering the location of Former SE Tower at Ewenny Priory (house), Vale of Glamorgan, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Designation
Listed building, Grade II*
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Date of designation
3 March 1998
Locality
Ewenny Priory
Community
Ewenny
Unitary authority
Vale of Glamorgan
Country
Wales
Coordinates
51.48824, -3.56688
Cadw reference
19467

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1637 · The fourth table of England. Cornub. Devonia, Somerset etc. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1897 · 262 Pontypridd (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1897 · 262 Pontypridd (Outline) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in Cadw's own full report ↗

Cadw's description

At the SE corner of Ewenny Priory (house) lawned garden adjacent to the haha forming the S boundary.

Precinct wall formerly linking the S gatehouse and the SE tower was demolished as part of early C19 landscaping and replaced by haha; ground level of garden raised at this time. SE tower at former SE angle of precinct wall is of same build as adjacent E stretch which belongs to period soon after Priory foundation in C12. After Dissolution the tower was converted to a dovecote.

Rectangular tower surrounded by raised garden but original ground level visible with adjoining footings of original S precinct wall and battered base to tower. Now roofless. Wide S front formerly embattled incorporating arrow loops with string course below; single segmental pointed arched opening below string with wide ledge probably relating to conversion to dovecote; similar to W and E. N side has narrow pointed arched entrance of 2 chamfered orders, steps down from garden.

Interior has a complete set of stone nesting boxes to battlement level which is corbelled E and W. 2 protruding stone ledges for perching; boxes created by building out large flat stones from rear wall and supporting these by stone blocks, at alternating points on each storey, with rubble walls to nesting holes. Curved across the angles creating an almost oval interior. Stone floor to entry, now earth to interior. Walls stone-capped at top.

Listed II* as an important part of the earliest precinct enclosure of Ewenny Priory and for its later unusual history as a dovecote, the interior of which survives almost intact; group value with the other buildings of Ewenny Priory, especially the E Precinct Wall.
Scheduled Ancient Monument Gm 190 (part).

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 2026-09-07, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ Cadw, the Welsh Historic Environment Service · Open Government Licence v3.0
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