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The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
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Liege Castle, Castell Moel

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Leeeh; Leeds; Castra Legionis; Leehe; Lache; Leche; Lechcastle; Lachecastle

In the community of Llancarfan.
In the historic county of Glamorgan.
Modern authority of Vale of Glamorgan.
Preserved county of South Glamorgan.

OS Map Grid Reference: ST05427343
Latitude 51.45184° Longitude -3.36247°

Liege Castle, Castell Moel has been described as a certain Fortified Manor House.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
Description

A banked and ditched rectangular enclosure, c.24m E-W by 16m, with further banks indicating subsidiary enclosures on the S & SE. Site apparently mention in 1320, reported as being under plough by 1578. Thought to be the site of an originally medieval house. Set within bounds of a possibly IA enclosure (Nprn301307). (Coflein)

Remains of a small moated site, probably a house rather than a castle as the name would otherwise suggest, located within a hillfort known as Castell Moel (PRN 359s). The principal remains consist of a strong bank and ditch, about 15m wide by 3m high with traces of a counterscarp bank in places, forming three sides of a rectangle about 25m across. From the north-east corner, a slightly larger rampart with its ditch almost silted up extends south-east for about 30m in a slight curve. Slighter banks extend all these features for about 18m further south. The site was probably built by the Norris family of Penllyn Castle, perhaps as early as the 13th century. Liege Castle was a sub-manor of Bonvilston, which was itself a sub-manor of Wenvoe. As a subordinate residence, its main function was presumably as the centre for the administration of the sub-manor, possibly housing a steward. A small hamlet grew up around the site, probably on the south-east side in the vicinity of the present Liege Castle Farm. Originally given SAM No GM398 in error (correct SAM No is the same as Castell Moel hillfort, whose name has been used in the scheduling of this feature also). (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

The monument comprises the remains of a hillfort, which probably dates to the Iron Age period (c. 800 BC - AD 74, the Roman conquest of Wales). Hillforts are usually located on hilltops and surrounded by a single or multiple earthworks of massive proportions. Hillforts must have formed symbols of power within the landscape, while their function may have had as much to do with ostentation and display as defence. Castell Moel hillfort comprises an apparently unfinished bank and ditch surrounding a rectangular area on the top of the hill with flattened banks, following the contour of the hill lower down-slope, particularly on the western side. (Scheduling Report)
Comments

Moated C13 fortified manor, called Liege Castle, within iron age fort, called Castell Moel.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
Coflein   County HER   Scheduling        
Maps >
Streetmap   NLS maps   Where's the path   Old-Maps      
Data/Maps > 
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Sources of information, references and further reading
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This record last updated 06/07/2016 17:29:45
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