Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Castell Mael
Puncheston, Pembrokeshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Ringwork
- Period
- Medieval
- Date of designation
- 7 February 1951
- Community
- Puncheston
- Unitary authority
- Pembrokeshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.93063, -4.89617
- SAM number
- PE232
- Cadw record number
- 469
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 well preserved castle-ringwork, which dates to the medieval period (c. AD 1066 - 1485). Castell Mael is situated on an inland promontory where north, east and south the land slopes steeply down to streams 20m below the site. North and west the land is fairly level and these sides are defended by a single bank and ditch. The bank survives to an internal height of 2.7m and externally to 2.8m.The interior area is sub-circular and measures c. 60m by c. 80m. The site may have had its origins as an Iron Age defended enclosure.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement, organisation and defence. The site forms an important element within the wider medieval landscape. It is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, layout, 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.
Nearby in the register
- White HartDomesticunder 1 mi
- Ty NewyddDomesticunder 1 mi
- Parc Maen Llwyd Standing StoneStanding Stoneunder 1 mi
- Carreg Quoitan Standing StoneStanding Stoneunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.