id: sig-20260722-report-gm255
site_id: gb-mawr-penlle-r
attribute: designation_report
value: 'Reference Number

  GM255

  Name

  Penlle''r Castell

  Date of Designation

  Status

  Designated

  Unitary Authority

  Swansea

  Community

  Mawr

  Easting

  266537

  Northing

  209603

  Broad Class

  Defence

  Site Type

  Castle

  Period

  Medieval

  The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built
  during the medieval period. A motte and bailey castle comprises a large mound of soil or
  stone (the motte) surrounded by, or adjacent to, one or more embanked enclosures (the bailey).
  Both may be surrounded by wet or dry ditches and could be further strengthened with palisades,
  revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte.

  The earthworks consist of a sub-rectangular mound, over 30m long, un-equally divided by
  a broad ditch. There are traces of at least three drystone structures on the level top,
  and the whole monument is surrounded by a deep v-shaped ditch. It is argued that the earthwork
  was constructed in the late 13th century during a border dispute between William de Breos
  and Rhys Fychan. The fact that Carreg Cennen castle is visible from the site may be significant,
  but the insubstantial construction of the drystone structures suggests only temporary occupation.

  The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval
  defensive organisation. The well-preserved monument forms an important element within the
  wider medieval context and the structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological
  information relating to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.

  The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related
  evidence may be expected to survive.'
source_url: http://cadwpublic-api.azurewebsites.net/reports/sam/FullReport?lang=en&id=3573
source_title: Scheduled Monument Full Report — Penlle'r Castell
publisher: Cadw
observed_date: '2026-07-22'
collected_by: scripts/build_assessment_batch.py
confidence: high
notes: The designation text. Assess the six bands against THIS evidence only; omit any band
  it does not speak to.