West Orchard Manor House

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 medieval manor house. It is situated in a field just east of RAF St. Athan and consists of a roughly rectangular area of turf covered banks and mounds. The ground is marshy to the east and north, where there is an area of old quarrying. In the north-east corner a spring wells up from under some masonry at the foot of a mound c. 1.8m high.

Along the north side is a discontinuous bank 6m wide, with an external height of 1.8m and an internal height of 1m. There are stones lying on the ground outside it. This bank turns southward at the west end rises and widens slightly to a mound with an external height of c.1m, which is the highest point of the site. East of it is a roughly rectangular area c. 9 x 4m of slightly lower level ground. East of this is another mound and more banks running east and south in curving lines. On the south side of the site are two mounds 1.5m high, with a 1m gap in between them. Further mounds and irregular banks lie to the east. Further north on the east side there are traces of a straight stone wall, with a gap where parallel banks run east - west for a short way. The turf covered banks and mounds are generally 0.5m - 1m high, with steepish sides, sometimes with stones visible in the sides.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval secular architecture. The monument is a well-preserved example of its type and forms an important element within the wider medieval context. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard 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.