BR118

Cae Burdydd Castle  

 

Designated  

Merthyr Tydfil  

Vaynor  

304739  

210206  

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. The motte is 23m in diameter and 3m high with a steep drop to river on the east side. The top of the motte is 7m in diameter and concave in shape, with a slight horseshoe shaped bank on the landward side. The ditch is approximately 4m wide. There is no trace of a bailey. 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.