Rumney Castle (The Gatehouse Record)

Description

The earthwork remains of Rumney Castle were excavated in 1978 and de-scheduled in 1986 due to planned development on the site. (Coflein)

The castle was a motte placed on the edge of the fall to the river. Only part of the mound survives in a garden, but it is the greater part and it retains much of its formidable ditch. The motte was fairly low but extraordinarily broad-topped, its summit having originally had a diameter approaching 100ft. Excavation at Cae Castell in 1978 and 1980 showed that the site was first fortified by a ditch and bank forming a ringwork. (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

Small ringwork historically part of the marcher lordship of Gwynllwg, was situated above a steep natural scarp overlooking the river Rhymney. First mentioned in A.D. 1184-85, the castle guarded the western boundary of the lordship and the river crossing. The defenses consisted of a ditch and clay rampart constructed around three sides of the site. Initially incorporated into the defenses along the fourth side was a large timber building and possibly a palisade. The entrance was originally defended by a large timber gate tower, later superseded by a smaller timber structure. Following this, the defences were strengthened by the widening of the rampart and the construction of a small tower or keep alongside the entrance. Several phases of timber building, including two large halls, were arranged around a courtyard. During a later period the entrance was relocated and a stone gate tower constructed. (Lightfoot)

Sources of information, references and further reading

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 300453.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 00618s.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Jeff Thomas's Castles of Wales
Books
- Kenyon, J.R., 2008, 'Masonry Castles and Castle-building' in R. Griffiths, T. Hopkins and R. Howell (eds), The Gwent County History (Cardiff: University of Wales Press) p. 89-114
  Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 238 (listed)
  Prior, Stuart, 2006, A Few Well-Positioned Castles: The Norman Art of War (Tempus) p. 110-164
  Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press)
  Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p. 129
  Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p. 303-9
  RCAHMW, 1991, An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Glamorgan Vol. 3 Part 1a: The Early Castles (London: HMSO) MR7 p. 296-303
  Salter, Mike, 1991, The Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower (Malvern) p. 61
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 287
  Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1982, ‘“Cae Castell”, Rumney, Cardiff — final interim report' Annual Report 1981-82 (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p. 1-7
  Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1981, ‘Cae Castell, Rumney, Cardiff‘ Annual Report 1980-81 (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust,) p. 11-15
  Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1980, ‘An interim report on the excavation of Cae Castell, Rumney, Cardiff' Annual Report 1979-80 (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p. 9-12
  Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 377
  1978, ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Annual Report 1977-78 (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust) p. 6-9
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 293
  Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 650-1
  Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 297 online copy
  Coxe, W., 1801, An Historical Tour in Monmouthshire (London) Vol. 1 p. 63n plan acing p. 75
Periodical Articles
- Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1992, 'Rumney Castle: A Ringwork and Manorial Centre in South Glamorgan' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 36 p. 96-163 download copy
  1982, Medieval Archaeology Vol. 26 p. 225 download copy
  Youngs, S.M. and Clark, J., 1981, ‘Medieval Britain in 1980’ Medieval Archaeology Vol. 25 p. 202-3 download copy
  Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1981 ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 21 p. 60-2
  Lightfoot, K.W.B., 1980 ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 20 p. 71-2
  Lewis, J.M. and Boon, G.C., 1980, ‘Archaeological notes: Rumney, Cae Castell’ Morgannwg Vol. 24 p. 91, 94-5 online copy online copy
  Lightfoot K.W.B. and Stanley, P., 1979, ‘Cae Castell, Rumney’ Archaeology in Wales Vol. 19 p. 40
  Webster, L.E. and Cherry, J., 1978, ‘Medieval Britain in 1977’ Medieval Archaeology Vol. 22 p. 263 download copy
  Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (Spurgeon and Thomas), 1978, ‘Archaeological notes: Rumney Castle, Cardiff’ Morgannwg Vol. 22 p. 87 online copy
  Spurgeon, C.J. and Thomas, H.J., 1978, 'Medieval Glamorgan' Morgannwg Vol. 22 p. 18 online copy
  Spurgeon and Thomas, 1974, Archaeology in Wales Vol. 14 p. 37-8
  King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol. 3 p. 90-127
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete, particularly for the major royal castles and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Giraldus Cambrensis, c.1183, Description of Wales view online transcription
  The Great Roll of the Pipe for the thirty-second year of the reign of King Henry II A.D. 1185-1186 (Pipe Roll Society 36)

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