Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement
Llanfihangel Cwmdu with Bwlch and Cathedine, Powys, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Shrunken Medieval Village
- Period
- Medieval
- Date of designation
- 28 November 1997
- Community
- Llanfihangel Cwmdu with Bwlch and Cathedine
- Unitary authority
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.88486, -3.18440
- SAM number
- BR238
- Cadw record number
- 3661
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument consists of a shrunken village dating to the medieval period. This is a settlement where previous house sites are now unoccupied, but visible as earthworks, crop or soil marks. An estate map of 1587 shows the settlement included a number of houses, a large courtyard house, roads, boundaries and tracks. The settlement is located in a field north of Tretower Castle, and west of St John's Church. Maps dating to the 16th and 17th century also show a cluster of buildings around a roadway, with boundaries and tracks running between seven houses. Archaeological evaluation of a small section of the area proved two main phases of activity in the south eastern corners of the site. The medieval domestic or smithying activity, structural and industrial features were of 13th to 14th century date. The 18th or 19th century evidence included a building with a paved and pitched stone floor, with slag and industrial features.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement organisation. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Vine Tree CottageDomesticunder 1 mi
- Church HallReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- 2 Vine Tree CottagesDomesticunder 1 mi
- Ty LlysDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.