Bryn y Cwm Mound & Bailey Castle

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 a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built during the medieval period. A motte and bailey castle comprises a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil or stone (the motte) surrounded by, or adjacent to, one or more embanked enclosures (the bailey). Both may be surrounded by wet or dry ditches and could be further strengthened with palisades, revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte. The motte is roughly circular and stands to a height of 30ft with a flattened top, which measures 90ft in diameter. The ditch on west side rises 15ft to the counterscarp and on the south side of motte, a spur of high ground runs south. This is separated from the field to the west by the ditch which measures 15ft deep with a small stream at the bottom, and from the field to the east by a wide ditch rising 10ft to field boundary.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive organisation. The well-preserved monument forms an important element within the wider medieval context and the structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information 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.