Kenfig Castle & Medieval Town

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a fortified medieval town and castle. Ramparts comprising a bank and ditch define the town enclosure at the south west and the north east angles forming a roughly quadrangular enclosure of about 3.34 ha. The rampart disappears to the south under the large dunes over the south west quarter of the town. To the north it ends in front of the south end of a building. In the south west area of the town, the rampart re-emerges from the dunes and runs straight for 76m to the south west, fronted by a wide ditch. The castle keep is c. 14x15m, with a 2 m. wide entrance at the south west corner. The walls are composed of stone and pebbles and are c. 2 m. thick. They stand 3-4m. The south side is the lowest, with an external height of 1-2 m. and internal height of 2.5 m. The north wall is the best preserved with an internal height of 3m and with intact gun loop. South of the keep is a complex of low walls.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of both medieval defensive practices and also urban organization and the growth of towns. The monument is well preserved and 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.