Dyfed Archaeological Trust Historic Environment
Record
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Castell Olwen
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 781 Trust : Dyfed Community : Lampeter Unitary authority : Ceredigion NGR : SN58024923 Site Type (preferred type first) : Iron Age Defended Enclosure / Medieval Castle Status : Scheduled Monument
Summary : Castell Olwen occupies a prominent bluff above the Afon Dulais at 130m above sea level. Land falls away steeply to the north, west and east down to the valley floor some 10m below, but the site is overlooked from the east. It is a pear-shaped enclosure, 115m north - south and 55m east - west, sub-divided into a north section and south section by what seems to be a natural crease, but which may have been exploited by a ditch to create a bipartite enclosure. A bank and ditch 23m wide and up to 4m high defend the weakest, northern side. These defences fade around the remainder of the circuit, but are largely traceable as a low bank and a terrace or shelf representing the ditch. A gap on the northwest side may indicate an entrance. The site is probably an Iron Age fort, but King lists it as a possible medieval castle site. The interior of the site is under improved pasture and the defences are under woodland. K Murphy 15 December 2005 - from various sources.
Sources :
Burnham,H , 2007 , AM107
K. Murphy, R. Ramsey and M. Page , 2006 , A SURVEY OF DEFENDED ENCLOSURES IN CEREDIGION, 2006: GAZETTEER OF ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID SQUARES SN54 & SN55
, 1832 , Dawson's Map of Lampeter in 1832 ,
, 1956 , Ceredigion ,
Hogg,AHA , 1962 , Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies ,
Hogg,AHA , 1994 , The Iron Age ,
Lewis,S , 1833 , Topographical Dictionary of Wales ,
Meridian Airmaps , 1955 ,
Meyrick,SR , 1810 , History of Cardiganshire ,
Murphy,K , 2004 , Assessment of Prehistoric Defended Enclosures 2004-5, Report No 2004-100 ,
Nash-Williams,VE , 1933 , Archaeologia Cambrensis ,
Nicholas,T , 1872 , County Families of Wales ,
OS , 1819 , Original Survey Drawing sheet 308, 2" to the mile, copy in DRF ,
OS , 1971 ,
Osborne Jones,R , 1950 , Ceredigion ,
RAF , 1953 ,
Events : 65452 : CASTELL OLWEN, FIELD OBSERVATION, 1971 (year : 1971) 95263 : CASTELL OLWEN (year : 2007) 54269 : PREHISTORIC DEFENDED ENCLOSURES: CEREDIGION (year : 2007) 129341 : University of Wales Trinity St David Campus, Lampeter, Ceredigion (year : 2022)
