Scurlage Castle, Trecastell

Description

Vestiges of strong defensive walls define the fortified quadrangular enclosure which once protected the house and necessary buildings of the Scurlages, who acquired the manor in the mid-13th century. There are no visible remains of these internal medieval buildings, which were cleared away in the late-16th century by the Gibbons, who had succeeded the Scurlages by the early-15th century. Within the walls the Gibbons then raised three ranges of domestic buildings around the central court, with a fine gentry house to the E. (Coflein–as medieval fortified house)

Scurlage Castle is located in Llanhari, at 7 km NNE of Cowbridge. The vestige of strong defensive walls define the quadrangular enclosure which once protected the house and associated buildings of the Scurlages, who acquired the manor in the mid 13th century. There is no evidence that defensive ditches were ever cut. Rising upon pronounced external batters, the walls enclosed an area 30m E-W by 26.5m N-S. The most substantial remains of the curtain-walls are found on the W, where they have survived to a considerable height, and with minimal breaches, to embrace an Elizabethan range still in use as farm buildings. On the East, there are only dispersed and severely truncated sections of medieval walling. The entrance has been identified towards the W end of the S curtain. The medieval walls are about 1.4m thick, above massive external batters rising 2m in height. The medieval masonry is of roughly-coursed, grey limestone set in good lime mortar. The medieval buildings were cleared away in the late 16th century by the Gibbons who had succeeded the Scurlages by early 15th century. Within the walls, the Gibbons raised three ranges of domestic buildings around the central court, with a fine gentry house on the E. The strong house is first mentioned in a record of 1320 as Scurlage Castle, a name which persised until the mid 16th century. Thereafter, it was usually reffered to as Trecastle or Trecastell (prn 00609m). With the end of the Gibbon line, the Gibbon house survived as Trecastle Farmhouse until 1967, when it was demolished to make way for new farm buildings. Before the demolition, a detailed survey was made and nowadays the wall area is maintained as a detached farmyard (RCAHM 2000). (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER–as medieval castle)

Comments

Described as motte and bailey, with section of wet moat, by Salter, but this seems inconsistent with other descriptions of the site; Hogg and King describe as rocky platform, remains of medieval defences on two sides; Hague calls a large derelict C17 farmhouse said to occupy site of medieval castle (although this seems to be a confusion with Scurlage Castle Port Enyon.