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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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Castell Pengawsai

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Llangolman; Blaenllechog

In the community of Mynachlog-ddu.
In the historic county of Pembrokeshire.
Modern authority of Pembrokeshire.
Preserved county of Dyfed.

OS Map Grid Reference: SN11022805
Latitude 51.91878° Longitude -4.74931°

Castell Pengawsai has been described as a probable Timber Castle.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
Description

A small, oval ringwork 24m by 20m overall, ditched & banked, enclosing a possible building site 9.0m by 6.0m. (Coflein)

This is a small circular enclosure having a diameter of about 50 feet, situated about 180 yards west of Pengawsai farm-house. The surrounding earthen bank rises to a maximum height of 6 feet, but has been removed for a section of the circuit. Outside is a broad ditch, now only 2 feet deep, and in places altogether filled up, doubtless with the contents of the denuded and demolished bank. The entrance facing east has been altered. The earthwork would appear to possess many characteristics of the medieval moated homestead, though the latter is usually rectangular in form. The surrounding area is level, and the enclosure itself so feebly defended as to make it improbable that it was intended primarily for defence. The work is locally known as Castell Blaenllechog, the name of the adjoining farm; and the field on which it stands is called Castle Park. (RCAHMW)

The monument comprises the remains of an earthwork ringwork likely to date to the medieval period (c. AD 1066 - 1485). It is oval shaped and measures 24m by 20m overall and comprises a well preserved bank 3.3m high externally, 1.3-1.8m high internally enclosing a possible building site measuring 9m by 6m. There is a possible entrance on the south east side and a surrounding ditch surviving to a depth of 0.3-0.6m. (Scheduling Report)
Comments

Coflein dates this as '? medieval', the rather elderly RCAHMW Inventory puts it into the 'Hill Fort' category and the Dyfed Archaeological Trust HER record dates as 'Medieval; Iron Age'. The location is isolated. Despite this the usual castle authors seem to have no problem with this being a medieval ringwork. On the border between English and Welsh Pembrokeshire so possibly a defended medieval farmstead but the small size would suggest a tenant of relatively lowly status, although still possible one owing some military service.
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 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.
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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 09:05:27
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