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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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Llangibby Motte

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
The Bowling Green; Llangybi; Tregrug

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

OS Map Grid Reference: ST36969735
Latitude 51.67140° Longitude -2.91294°

Llangibby Motte has been described as a certain Timber Castle, and also as a Masonry Castle although is doubtful that it was such, and also as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
Description

A low and level bank, c.44-48m in diameter, set about the interior of a sub-oval, ditched and counterscarped enclosure, is thought to represent a bowling green established on the earthworks of a castle. There is an outer ditched enclosure, c.60m N-S by 46m, on the E. Castle first mentioned c.1262, believed to have been superceded by Llangiby Castle in early C14. The earthwork was planted as part of the grounds of Llangibby House. (Coflein)

Between the castle & the road is a mound considered to have been an outpost of the castle, consisting of ca.1 acre of ground surrounded by a dry moat. (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). The motte consists of a circular mound, 80m in diameter at the base and 3.5m high, with a flat summit, 40m in diameter, enclosed by a low bank. The mound is surrounded by a steep-sided ditch and bank. The bank surrounding the summit is up to 0.8m high on the inside. The surrounding ditch is 2m wide and between 2m and 4m deep, and the outer bank is up to 1.5m high. The ditch and outer bank are not present on the N side of the mound, and may have been backfilled and truncated during the construction of the adjacent farm track. On the NW side there is a gap in the bank surrounding the summit, while on the SE side there is a gap in the outer bank. The motte is thought to be the forerunner of the 13th century Llangibby Castle (MM109), located 400m to the W. On 19th century maps the summit of the motte is described as a bowling green indicating that the top of the mound may have been levelled. (Scheduling Report)
Comments

Marked as motte and bailey on OS map. D.J.C. King considered this as the precursor to Llangibby castle. The earthworks are extensively damaged and interpretation is difficult. Phillips suggests that the features of the earthwork suggest a late fortified site and that this site may have been a replacement of the unfinished Llangibby castle. Llangibby castle was besieged during the Civil War and the earthworks may have been used and altered at that time. Excavation would be required for a better interpretation of the site.
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 > 
Magic   Historic Wales   V. O. B.   Geology   LIDAR  
Air Photos > 
Bing Maps   Google Maps   Getmapping   ZoomEarth      
Photos >
CastleFacts   Geograph   Flickr   Panoramio      

Sources of information, references and further reading
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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.
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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 07/07/2016 08:40:03
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