Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Castell Dyffrynmawr
Crymych, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Motte
- Period
- Medieval
- Date of designation
- 2 August 1950
- Community
- Crymych
- Unitary authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.98494, -4.65933
- SAM number
- PE208
- Cadw record number
- 3045
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
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (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 a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). A motte is a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil and/or stone, usually surrounded by either a wet or dry ditch, and originally surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone. Castell Dyffrynmawr motte measures c 60m in diameter and rises c 7m high from a u-shaped ditch generally about 3m deep. Outside the ditch there is a small counterscarp bank about 1m high and 4 to 5 m wide. The top of the motte has a saucer shaped depression 3.3m deep, an old scar on the north west side resulting from stone-robbing indicates the top is surmounted by a perimeter wall built of flat stone slabs surviving to at least three courses high.
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.
Nearby in the register
- Round Barrow 270m SW of Crymych ArmsRound Barrowunder 1 mi
- RafelDomestic1 mi
- Plas WhitchurchNo class recorded1 mi
- Foel Drygarn CampHillfort1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.