Twmpath Castle
Twmpath Motte
Native name
Welsh: Caer Cynwrig[1][2]
Twmpath Castle
TypeMotte-and-bailey castle[1]
LocationRhiwbina, Cardiff, Wales[1]
Coordinates51°31′56″N 3°13′17″W / 51.532355°N 3.221363°W / 51.532355; -3.221363
Twmpath Castle is located in Cardiff
Twmpath Castle
Twmpath Castle
Location in Cardiff
Official nameTwmpath, Rhiwbina[3]
Designated23 July 1930 (1930-07-23)[3]
Reference no.GM017[3]

Twmpath Castle,[4][2] also known as Twmpath Motte (Welsh: Caer Cynwrig),[1][2] is a medieval motte on the southern slope of Wenallt Hill near Rhiwbina in Cardiff, Wales, which is a scheduled monument.[5][3]

Toponymy

Twmpath is a Welsh word literally meaning a hump.[6] Caer Cynwrig are both Welsh words. Caer (Old Welsh: cair or kair) is a placename element meaning a fortification, a camp, an inclosure, a wall or mound of defence,[7] while Cynwrig in Old Welsh means high hill.[2]

History

The motte-and-bailey castle dates back to the middle Ages from about 1066 to 1540.[3] Originally Twmpath Castle was a Welsh camp called Caer Cynwrig, which was captured and occupied by the Normans and became the third largest motte in the Lordship of Glamorgan.[8] Robert Fitzhamon founded Cardiff Castle and used the old Cardiff Roman Fort to construct it.[9] Cardiff Castle was the capital of the Lordship of Glamorgan and Twmpath Castle formed one of a string of fortifications used to defend the newly conquered town of Cardiff with a ring of eight smaller earth and timber castles, Caerau Hillfort, Morganstown Castle Mound, Castell Coch and Whitchurch (known as Treoda), Cae’r Castell, near St Mellons and Rumney Castle.[9]

Present day

Today the site is overgrown and stands approximately 25 ft (7.6 m) high and 130 ft (40 m) around.[8] The top is 16 m (52 ft) in diameter. The motte is surrounded by a ditch, which varies in depth between 1 m (3.3 ft) to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) and width between 4 m (13 ft) and 5 m (16 ft).[3]

Cadw has described the monument as being of "National importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices.[3] The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape.[3] It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits."[3] It was designated as a scheduled monument on 23 July 1930.[3]

Legends

Legend has it that it is a burial mound erected about 1089 for Iestyn ap Gwrgan, Lord of Glamorgan.[10] The other legend says that the Devil piled up some earth in the form of a mound.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Caer Cynwrig (307123)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Meaning of Cynwrig". TheNamesDictionary. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Cadw. "Twmpath, Rhiwbina (GM017)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Terry Breverton (15 October 2010). Wales' 1000 Best Heritage Sites. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-4456-2013-8.
  5. ↑ "Twmpath, Rhiwbina". Ancient Monuments. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "Twmpath". FolkWales. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  7. ↑ Nicholas Carlisle (1811). A Topographical Dictionary of the Dominion of Wales, Exhibiting the Names of the Several Cities, Towns, Parishes [etc] ...: Being a Continuation of The Topography of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Pr.for William Miller. p. xxx.
  8. 1 2 "The castles of Cardiff-Caer Cynwrig". dicmortimer. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Environmental Statement – Cultural Heritage and Archaeology (14.73)" (PDF). DPP Planning (Black Mountains Archaeology Ltd). Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Twmpath Castle". castlewales.com. Retrieved 31 May 2021.

Further reading

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