Hen Blas Castle Site

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description for the scheduled ancient monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a castle, dating to the medieval period. A castle is a defended residence or stronghold, built mainly of stone, in which the principal or sole defence comprises the walls and towers bounding the site. The monument consists of the remains of an enclosure approximately 48m north-south by 50m east-west sited on a spur-end between two streams flowing from west to east. The enclosure is defined by a ditch on the west and elsewhere by steep natural slopes. On the west is an outer enclosure 72m north-south by 78m, again ditched on the west. There is mention of a castle being built in this location in 1157 and captured in 1166. Excavations concluded in 1957 demonstrated that an earthwork castle was replaced by a fortified manor house in the early thirteenth century which was itself abandoned in the late fourteenth century.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.