Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
The Bulwarks (Civil War)
Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales
A scheduled monument in Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, recorded as Earthwork (unclassified) (Post Medieval/Modern).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Earthwork (unclassified)
- Period
- Post Medieval/Modern
- Date of designation
- 11 August 1982
- Community
- Carmarthen
- Unitary authority
- Carmarthenshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.85514, -4.31222
- SAM number
- CM009
- Cadw record number
- 332
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
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1608 map "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1860 · 41. Caermathen. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Sheet 10. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. . (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 229 Carmarthen (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 14. (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 comprises the remains of earthwork defences dating to the Civil War, 1642-51 and built to protect west Carmarthen then held for the Royalists. Further stretches existed originally but these have now been destroyed. The earthworks comprise the remains of low wide walls and associated ditches designed to absorb shot combined with bastions to protect the walls and for positioning artillery. A central section of bank survives to a height of c 0.7m fronted to the west by a ditch c 1.6m deep externally and 2.3m above the crest of the bank. North and south of this are two polygonal projecting bastions. Only the northern is well preserved, with the depth of the ditch being c 2m below the exterior and 4m below the crest of the now slight bank.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of later defensive organisation. The site forms an important element within the surrounding landscape. The site is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- No 1 Friar's RowDomesticunder 1 mi
- No 2 Friar's RowNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- No 3 Friar's RowNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- No 4 Friar's RowNo class recordedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.