The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Castell Bolan (Cwm Glais), Cwmavon

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00673w
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Cwmavon
Unitary authority : Neath Port Talbot
NGR : SS76799202
Site Type (preferred type first) : Medieval Motte
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
It is a castle mound at 124m above O.D., on the top of a spur. A ditch surrounds the mound but doesn't appear on the E. Its base is oval and regular, 26m by 28m, but its upper part is different and rises towards the S.E. to become a D-shaped summit.

Description :
Castell Bolan is a castle mound at 124m above O.D., occupying the top of a spur, on the N. flank of Mynydd Dinas. A ditch surrounds the mound (AM7) but is not present on the eastern side (OS). It is possible that the castle, with Plas Baglan on the north, and the Iron Age Hillfort of Pen-y-castle to the south, are the three castle recorded in this vicinity by Edwards Lhuyd as "Castel y Wiryones", "y Castell" and "Ben y Castell".
Castell Bolan is spread over the full width of the N.W extremity of the spur, with steep natural falls to the W., N.W. and N.E sides. Its base is oval and regular, 26m by 28m, but its upper part is different and rises towards the S.E. to become a D-shaped summit. There it measures 6m by 7m and has a central depression 1m deep.
At a lower level on the North side, on the half of the slope, is a curving bank with regular appearance. It contains a confined lunate shelf.
This site may certainly be a castle of the 12-century Welsh lords of Afan, or one of their followers. Although, if is a Welsh castle, it clearly imitates the Norman motte. There is no certain historical record of the site, though it has been suggested that it might have been belonged to Morgan Gam and that there Herbert Fitzmatthew was slain by the Welsh in 1245 (RCAHM 1991, 143-145).

Sources :
Richard A.J , 1933/34 , A motte Castle at Cwm Glais
Richard A.J , 1934 , A motte Castle at Cwm Glais
Richard A.J , 1934 , Motte at Cwm Avon, Port Talbot , The Buletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : VII pt.II : 223-224
01/pm desc text/RCAHM//1991/Invent IV 1a/UW 3
RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of The Ancient Monuments In Glamorgan, II, 1a, UW 3, pp.143-145., fig.99.
AM7 text
OS card text
CADW, SAM Visit Description Text, 2006

Events :
E007045 : Swansea North Sub-Station, New Overhead Line (VE), Swansea (year : 2010-12)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 93184

Compiled date : 01-06-1977


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