Twyn Bell Camp, Llanbadoc

Description

A promontory fort defined by a single bank and outer ditch, and natural slopes on the N, NE and S, now forms the garden of a large house, Twyn Bell. The curving bank and ditch system measures about 24m across, the bank is 4m high above the house platform level, and extends for about 30m though its N and S ends have probably been levelled during landscaping. The ditch is 2m deep. (Coflein as Iron Age defended enclosure)

The interior of this enclosure is comparatively small and is now taken up almost exclusively by the large and impressive, Victorian house of Twyn Bell. The defences comprise a single scarp to the south of the interior, this on a very steep natural scarp anyhow, both of which drop away sharply from the now level interior. To the north an impressive bank 4m high above the house platform is followed by a ditch of 2m deep and a second, outer bank. This latter bank is at a similar level to the first but in fact it measures only about 2m in height as the ground gently rises through the 25m extent of these defences, continuing upwards for another 100m before gently levelling to a summit further north. A possible third counterscarp is visible though this is near a tennis court and may represent the outer landscaping on rising ground such as this. The whole area has been re-landscaped heavily over the lifetime of the buildings within the interior. The curving bank and ditch system measures about 24m across, the bank is 4m high above the house platform level, and extends for about 30m though its north and south ends have probably been levelled during landscaping. The ditch is 2m deep.' (Wiggins 2006) (Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust HER)

King record this as a partial medieval ringwork.

The most that can be said with any certainty is that the site is not a motte but it is a partial ring-work. Whether the ring-work is of medieval origin or pre-historic remains unknown at this time. (Phillips)

Comments

The site is adjacent to St Madog's Church (Current structure C13 but certainly of earlier origin) so use as a medieval manorial centre seems entirely likely although this does not exclude an Iron Age origin for the site.