Cae Wall Wood Motte, Langstone (The Gatehouse Record)

Cae Wall Wood Motte, Langstone

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Pool Head Motte

In the community of Langstone.
In the historic county of Monmouthshire.
Modern authority of Newport.
Preserved county of Gwent.

OS Map Grid Reference: ST40358911
Latitude 51.59839° Longitude -2.86108°

Cae Wall Wood Motte, Langstone has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such, and also as a Fortified Manor House although is doubtful that it was such.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

A circular hollow, embanked 0.75m high on the E and S, measures some 30m across overall and 1.5m deep. To the immediate N is a disused quarry and there is additional hollowing on the S. The site is in a good defensive position, overlooking the S and W, but there is too much quarrying activity to be sure of its identity as a defensive earthwork. (Coflein NPRN 223874 ? Medieval motte called Cae-Wall Wood Motte)

Within an area of about 80m by 80m lies what appears to be a quarry, flanked on the SW by a shallow circular depression. However, piles of cut stones suggest the former presence of a building, so perhaps there was once a fortification here which was later altered by quarrying. - refering back to the original source it is possible that the site described therein was not examined during this visit. (Coflein NPRN 54450 Medieval motte and bailey? called Pool Head)

The monument comprises the remains of a well-preserved medieval moated homestead. It consists of a square platform measuring 30m across, surrounded by a ditch. On the N, S and E sides the ditch is up to 3m wide and 1.5m deep, while on the W side it is up to 2m wide and 0.4m deep. Part of the W ditch has been dammed to make a duck pond. The site is thought to be associated with the 16th century Pencoed Castle, and may be an earlier predecessor. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Both these records have identical map references. The uncertainty about this site is clear from it being listed twice by the RCAHMW.
Pool Head Motte was rejected by King as looking like a dried up pond. Suggestions of a relationship with nearby Pencoed Castle either as a siege work or precursor are probably fanciful and the actual relationship may be as a quarry for that castle.

Sources of information, references and further reading

The CADW scheduled monument record number is MM201.
The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 223874; 54450.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 03655g.

Books
- Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 256 (listed twice as possible)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 290 (reject)
Periodical Articles
- Parkes and Webster, 1974, Bulletin of the Board Celtic Studies Vol. 15.4 p. 516, 518

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other individuals and organisations. It may also contain Designated Historic Asset Descriptive Information from The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), licensed under the Open Government Licence. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes.
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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.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

The possible site or monument is represented on maps as a point location. This is a guide only. It should be noted that OS grid references defines an area, not a point location. In practice this means the actual center of the site or monument may often, but not always, be to the North East of the point shown.
Locations derived from OS grid references and from latitude longitiude may differ by a small distance.
Further information on mapping and location can be seen at this link.

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This record last updated 02/07/2016 21:10:54

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