Castell y Blaidd

Helen Burnham Castell y Blaidd (Wolf's Castle) is a strong ringwork, presumably of Norman date, although no reference to it survives. It sits unusually high on the hills near a pass leading eastwards where several tracks still meet, and has wide views apart from to the east and north-east. The ringwork is horseshoe-shaped, with a gap on the north-west, suggesting that it was unfinished, or has been destroyed, either by enemy action or during agricultural drainage. The bank stands 3-4m high above the base of the external ditch, which has traces of a counterscarp outside it; the site is more strongly defended on the north-east than on the south-west. The very short length of bank and ditch on the north-east may also be unfinished. The interior is domed and undulating, with no obvious sign of structures. Traces of a settlement with small enclosures are visible on the hillside below the path, looking back towards the parking place. The date of these remains is uncertain, but they are high on the mountain in an area not enclosed until relatively recently. They could be the remains of a medieval shepherding site, or might be still earlier.

 

Home | Main Menu | Castle Index | Historical Essays | Recommended Castles | What's New | Links

Copyright © 2009 by Jeffrey L. Thomas