RD071

Castle Mound 400m N of Cefnige  

 

Designated  

Powys  

Painscastle  

312555  

244926  

Defence  

Motte  

Medieval  

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 surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone. This site, also known as Llandeilo Graban Motte, is situated near the end of a ridge running eastwards between two streams. It is c.34m in diameter at its base and stands up to c.7m above the base of the ditch, which is c.7m wide and c.2m deep. The summit is c.20m in diameter and is flat with no obvious structural features. 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.