Cae Garn Earthworks (The Gatehouse Record)

Cae Garn Earthworks

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Pant Glas Tower

In the community of Lisvane.
In the historic county of Glamorgan.
Modern authority of Cardiff.
Preserved county of South Glamorgan.

OS Map Grid Reference: ST18438499
Latitude 51.55790° Longitude -3.17682°

Cae Garn Earthworks has been described as a Uncertain although is doubtful that it was such.

There are uncertain remains.

Description

Cae Garn I consists of a mound 16.46m square rising about 1.22m to a rectangular summit set towards its S.W. angle. This mound is almost entirely composed of Quartz Conglomerate rubble, the stone of the escarpment which predominates in the fabric of nearby Morgraig Castle. The mound may well represent the collapsed remains of a small square tower or blockhouse. (Coflein record No. 300404)
This site consists of an extraordinary complex of earthworks, its length divided near the centre by a cross-ditch broken for a narrow internal causeway. Only excavation could test the suggestion that these strange works may have originated as medieval military works of the mid-C13. (Coflein record No. 300405 at ST18528499)

PANT GLAS (ST 1843 8499 and ST 1852 8499)
Two probable medieval military earthworks were discovered during fieldwork in June 1983. The sites lie on the brow of the steep ridge overlooking Lisvane and commanding the old mountain road from Rudry to Llanishen. The remains at ST 1843 8499 seem to comprise a collapsed masonry watch tower about 25ft. square with an embanked enclosure 50ft. square adjacent to its west side. At ST 1852 8499, close to the old road, there is a better preserved collapsed tower of similar dimensions. These remains, like Castell Morgraig about 1.5 miles to the S.W. on the same ridge, are situated on the medieval boundary between the lordship of Cardiff and the upland lordship of Senghennydd. Their location suggests that they may be connected with the political tensions between the de Clares and the Welsh lords of Senghennydd in the 13th century. (Thomas and Griffiths 1983)

Comments

Davis writes that this looks like a natural feature. The location is not without stategic significance but was it really worth the expense of building two towers, which would not have a ready water supply? Why two towers so close but not connected?

Sources of information, references and further reading

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 300404; 300405.
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record.

Books
- Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
Periodical Articles
- Thomas, H.J. and Griffiths, M., 1983, ‘Archaeological notes: Pant Glas’, Morgannwg Vol. 27 p. 73 online copy

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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

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This record last updated before 1 February 2016

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