The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

The following information has been provided under the terms and conditions of access as detailed on GGAT’s website www.ggat.org.uk.  Copyright is reserved on all data supplied by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust. All output resulting from the use of the data must acknowledge the source as follows:-
Derived from information held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust copyright.

The data below is intended to be used for information and research only and is not for use as part of a commercial project.  If you wish to use information derived from material held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. For further information or to arrange a visit to the Trust please send an enquiry form http://www.ggat.org.uk/her/english/enquiry_form.html to her@ggat.org.uk.

Twmbarlwm Motte

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00115g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Risca
Unitary authority : Caerphilly
NGR : ST24389266
Site Type (preferred type first) : Medieval Motte
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Just to W.of mound & ditch lies a small turf-covered cairn (116G) 0.8m high with a hollowed middle. It is eroded on E.side which is near the top of the rock-cut ditch.

Description :
The form of both the bank and ditch of this motte, at the eastern extent of the enclosure suggests that it was a medieval motte. Its lower sections, including the ditch (which may have been 6m deep), were cut from the bedrock, with the mound raised by approximately 2m above this level (Logan 2022).

Phillips has categorised the site as an early watch-tower motte without a bailey, and surmises that the limit of the Norman influence would have been confined to the eastern end of the site. It is also noted that the site has been severely modified by the council and Cadw, and that although the motte is surrounded by a rock cut ditch to the south, west and north, the ditch cuts the Iron Age ramparts with a berm added.

No documentary evidence for Twmbarlwm is currently known, and it is also stated that it has not always been classified either as a hill-fort or as a motte. Phillips discusses the fact that Coxe (1801) thinks that the site might mark a grave, and that Knight questions the Iron Age date suggesting that the motte was an unfinished de Clare castle (Phillips 2004).

Sources :
, Archwilio App Submission
Logan, W. , 2022 , Twmbarlwm 2022: Archaeological Investigation
Phillips, N. , 2004 , Thesis: Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050 - 1250
Taylor, B , 2014 , Digital photograph (1); Twm Barlwm
08/PM Map//Rees W/1932/S.Wales & Border in 14th C/SE Sheet
02/PM Desc Text//Savory HN/1948-50/BBCS/V13.Pt9.p234
06/PM Desc Text//Pugh RH/1934/Glimpses of W.Gwent/pp11-13
04/PH Desc Text//Coxe W/1801/Hist Tour in Monm./p75 plan
07/PH Desc Text//Pinnock/1825/Hist & Topog of Eng & Wales/Vol4 p25
01/MM Record Card/OS//1957/ST 29 SW 1/
03/PM Desc Text//Nash Williams VE/1933/Arch Camb/V88.p392
09/PM Desc Text//Pickford JAF/1946/Between Mountain & Marsh/p50
05/PH Desc Text///1885/Monm&Caerl.Ant Soc/Papers re Hist of Mon p68
10/MM Desc Text/CADW/Whittle E./1987
11/MM Desc Text/CADW/1991/AM107

Events :
E004063 : Earthwork Castles of Gwent and Ergyng AD 1050 - 1250 (year : 2004)
E002383 : Uplands Survey Mynydd Maen and Mynydd Henllys, Gwent SUR (year : 1997)
E008464 : Twmbarlwm, Risca (year : 2022)

Related records
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00116g
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00114g

Compiled date : 28-01-1988


Images :



March 28, 2025, 11:45 am - HTML file produced from GGAT HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 Tel. 01792 655208; Fax 01792 474469 website: www.ggat.org.uk  email: her@ggat.org.uk Registered Charity no. 505609
Data supplied by in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © GGAT HER Charitable Trust, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025).