Draft:Llanthomas Castle Mound


 * Scheduled monuments are nationally protected and this one appears to have significant coverage.  Crouch, Swale  ( talk ) 20:28, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Llanthomas Castle Mound
Llanthomas Castle Mound (LCM) was built by the Normans after the 1066 Norman conquest of England but before 1215. It is a first generation motte and bailey castle design, the building materials were earth and timber.

The typical motte and bailey castle would have had a multi-storey wooden watchtower (i.e. the keep) on the summit of the motte, a wooden palisade fence around the bailey (i.e. the courtyard) and a deep ditch surrounding the bailey. A millennium later the above ground wood has perished. The remains of LCM consists of the motte, the ditch and buried masonry underpinning part of the wooden fence surrounding the bailey. Traces of a possible site for the bailey have been found to the south-east of the motte. Digeddi Brook (a tributary of the River Wye) runs along the base of the ditch.

After translation (from Latin and Tudor English) the tudor antiquarian John Leyland (1503-1552) described the role of LCM as a defensive architecture.

Cadw have described LCM as an important relic of medieval architecture which might extend knowledge of medieval defensive practices.

Toponymy
“Llan” is Welsh for the sacred land around a church. Llanthomas translates to Thomas church in English.

Motte and bailey castles without evidence of the original bailey are called castle mounds (or tumps or twts). Until recently the grazing meadow surrounding the motte was called bailey court. The words bailey and court are of Norman origin.

Many antiquarian and modern sources reference LCM with names reflecting its close proxity to Llanigon and Hay-on-Wye e.g.
 * Llanthomas Motte,
 * Llanthomas,
 * Llanthomas Mound,
 * Llanigon Castle,
 * Llanthomas Motte, Llanigon,
 * Hay No.3,
 * and Hay Rural.

Some antiquarian sources indirectly reference LCM e.g.
 * "the tumulus on the brook below Llanthomas",
 * "the mound at Llanigan Castle",
 * and "the mound in Bailey Court".

Location
LCM is on a private property but can be viewed from Llanthomas lane, opposite the walled Llanthomas gardens, which was once part of Llanthomas estate. LCM is near the village of Llanigon and less than 2 miles from the "town of books" i.e. Hay-on-Wye.  It is on the same lane as the Hay Festival fields (Dairy Meadows).

LCM is located in Powys, Wales but has a Herefordshire postcode. It is about 2 miles from the border with England, in the area known as the Welsh Marches. LCM is in the foothills of Hay Bluff in Bannau Brycheiniog (previously known as the Brecon Beacons). It was in the historic county of Brecknockshire/Breconshire which became Powys in 1974.

LCM is on the Middle Wye Valley. The castle location may have been chosen because it occupies a high point overlooking the River Wye less than a mile away. The fording point Little Fford Fawr is located between LCM and the south bank of the river. Mottes often had a direct line of sight to a nearby motte e.g. LCM and Llowes Castle Tump on the north bank of the river. Other surviving Norman castles near LCM on the Middle Wye Valley include:
 * 1.1 miles: Llowes Castle/Llowes Motte/Llowes Castle Tump,
 * 1.5 miles: Hay-on-Wye Motte (c.f. "First castle" and "Stone Castle" ),
 * 2.0 miles: Clyro Castle,
 * 2.2 miles: Glasbury Motte c.f. ("Glasbury Castle"),
 * 2.5 miles: Cusop Castle (c.f. "Cusop Castle", "Mouse Castle"),
 * 2.7 miles: Aberllynfi Castle/Great House Mound,
 * 2.8 miles: Castle Kinsey,
 * 3.9 miles: Clifford Castle,
 * 4.5 miles: Painscastle Castle; Boughrood Motte,
 * 5.0 miles: Bronllys Castle.

Scheduled monument status
The Cadw scheduled report f or LCM (BR078 ) states that there is a “strong possibility” that LCM and the scheduled area has “both structural evidence and intact associated deposits”. The report concludes that LCM is “an important relic of the medieval landscape”.

The Welsh archaeological trusts maintain regional historic environment records on behalf of the Welsh government. The Clwyd–Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) records for LCM include past Cadw reports: PRN: 443 (1986), 38278 (1988) , 2586 (1995).

The Coflein online database, stores the National Monuments Record of Wales (NMRW). The archive is located in the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. The archive record for LCM (NPRN: 306308 ) include a hundred years of reports: 6057064, 6054097, 6064626, 6140925, 6140927, 6359576, 6464877, 6140926, 6140924, 6054098, 6059886, 6519900.

In 1921, the Reverend William Edward Thomas Morgan vicar at the pre-conquest church of St. Eigon, Llanigon, an amateur archaeologist hosted a visit from the Woolhope club. The club study the natural history, geology, archaeology and the history of Herefordshire, England. William dug a small excavation trench on the summit of the motte, but no artefacts were discovered. There is no known record of any professional level archaeological excavation or geophysical survey of LCM.

In 1988, a professional excavation of a possible site for the bailey courtyard revealed activity associated with the motte. A number of artefacts were found including a sherd from the base of a medieval cooking pot, and a pitt filled with charcoal. The report by the archaeologist suggests that this may have been the kitchen area within the bailey. A private bungalow has since been built over the excavated site.

History
When posiible the Normans speeded up castle construction by building on an existing Iron age or Bronze age hillforts, or Roman ruins or ditch, augmenting the castle's defensive architecture. Some antiquarian scholars believed that LCM was built on an Iron Age tumulus.

The second Norman invasion of Wales was successful. It was led by the Norman lord Bernard de Neufmarché (c.1050–c.1125). Brycheiniog (now Wales) was conquered between 1088 and 1095. Brycheiniog was divided into lesser lordships, and gifted to the knights who contributed to the conquest.

Llanthomas lordship was part of the Hay lordship owned by William Revel, one of Bernard's knights. LCM was part of the Llanthomas lordship.

Revel is thought to have built Hay Castle Motte, near St Mary's Church, Hay-on-Wye. St. Marys was separated from the ancient parish of Llanigon around 1115 A.D. It is not known who built LCM but it is known to have existed from the early days of the Norman conquest.

By the 14th century, LCM was documented as part of Llanthomas manor the domicile of the lord of the manor. The manor also included a proprietary church called Thomaschurch (PRN: 81681 ). The church was funded by the lord of the manor, and was financially independent of the diocese in the Church in Wales. The proprietary church had disappeared by the 18th century.

A local historian has suggested that one of the first lords of the manor may have been the English Earl,


 * William de Ferre (c.1138- c.1189): Earl of Derby and a Knight Templar.

Authoritative historical primary sources and secondary sources show that there were many high status individuals who owned Llanthomas lordship. They included the nobility, the wealthy and the infamous:
 * Walter Devereux (1488-1558): Earl Ferrers, 10th Baron Ferrers of Chartley,1st Viscount Hereford and a Knight of the Garter.
 * William Thomas (c.1524-1554): MP for Downton, Wiltshire.
 * Lettice Devereux, nee Knollys (1543–1634): Viscountess Hereford and Countess of Leicester.

The next owner of Llanthomas was neither nobility, or wealthy but some might say infamous. William Jones Thomas rejected Francis Kilvert as a suitor for his daughter Frances Eleanor Jane Thomas aka Daisy. William Thomas (and his descendents) were the last owners of the Llanthomas, Over time the Llanthomas lordship became known as Llanthomas or Llanthomas estate, or Llanthomas manor. The main domicile became known as Llanthomas house or Llanthomas hall. William Thomas converted Llanthomas hall from a Welsh long house into a grand three story mansion at great expense. Many parts of the original lordship were sold including the land around LCM which was sold for farming. LCM is now part of a private residential property. A small fraction of the original lordship remains and is still known as Llanthomas.
 * William Watkins (died 1702) : Officer in the Parliamentarian army.
 * Thynne Howe Gwynne (c.1780-1855) : Lieutenant in the Regiment of the Dragoon Guards and Sheriff for Breconshire.
 * Sir William Pilkington (1775–1850): 8th Pilkington Baronet.
 * Reverend William Jones Thomas (1811–1886): vicar at St. Eigons, Llanigon (1859-1886) and JP for Hereford, Brecon and Radnor.

Notable people

 * William de Ferre Earl of Derby (c.1138-c.1189) was married to Sibyl de Braose (died c.1227), the daughter of William de Braose, 3rd Lord of Bramber (a Marcher lord) and Bertha of Hereford. William took part in the failed rebellion against Henry II.


 * Walter Devereux (1488 -1558) was an English courtier and parliamentian. Walter was made a Knight of the Garter by Henry VIII of England. Walter is the first documented lord of Llanthomas lordship which he inherited in 1509.
 * William Thomas (c.1524-1554) was from Llanigon. He was a politician, a scholar, and a clerk of the Privy Council under Edward VI. He became MP for Downton, Wiltshire in 1553. An avowed Protestant, he was found guilty of treason for plotting to murder the Catholic Queen Mary I. He was committed to the Tower of London. From there he was drawn upon a sled to Tyburn, where he was hanged, beheaded, and quartered. His head was placed on London Bridge.
 * Lettice Devereux, nee Knollys (1543–1634) was an English noblewomen. Lettice was married to Walter Devereux (1541–1576), 1st Earl of Essex, 2nd Viscount Hereford, 11th Baron Ferrers of Chartley. On Waters death she married Elizabeth I’s favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. In a fit of jealously the Queen permanently banished Lettice from the Royal court.
 * William Watkins (died 1702) was married to Honor Watkins (died 1734). He was in the parliamentarian army against Charles I . In 1672 an act of parliament allowed non-conformist groups to meet in their own homes. The Llanigon Dissenters held meetings at Penyrwyrlodd, his other mansion in Llanigon. Their son John was wounded in a duel, leading to his opponents death. Fearing capture, he hid in Hay Castle but died whilst searching for a safer hiding place.
 * A Watkins descendent also called William Watkins, lived in Llanthomas in 1772.
 * Thynne Howe Gwynne (c.1780-1855) was married to Hon. Georgianna Marianna Devereux, daughter of George the 13th Viscount Hereford of Tregoyd. He bought Llanthomas estate in 1814.
 * Sir William Pilkington (1775–1850) sold Llanthomas estate to the Reverend William Jones-Thomas in 1858.
 * Reverend William Jones Thomas (1811–1886) was vicar at St. Eigon, Llanigon (1859-1886). The Thomas family were the last owners of the Llanthomas estate. Llanthomas hall was demolished in 1954. William Thomas had a pivotal role in the life of Francis Kilvert and he is mentioned in the Francis Kilvert's Diaries of 1870-1879.


 * Canon William Edward Thomas Morgan (1847-1940) succeeded William Thomas as vicar at St. Eigon, Llanigon (1887-1923). William Morgan was the best man at the wedding of Francis Kilvert to Elizabeth Rowland and he is mentioned in the Francis Kilvert's Diaries of 1870-1879.
 * John Leyland (1503-1552) was a Tudor antiquarian, poet, archaeologist, and chaplain to King Henry VIII. He is known as the father of English local history and is a primary source for British history scholars. He visted LCM around 1536-1539.

Online references to LCM
LCM is included in many online lists of medieval period castles in Wales:
 * List of the medieval fortified sites of the historic county of Brecknockshire including LCM.
 * List of tumps c.f. LCM.
 * List of Castles in Wales c.f.  LCM.
 * Welsh Castle Database c.f. Llanthomas Motte.
 * Vanished Castles of Wales and the Marches c.f. LCM.
 * The Castle Guide – a selection of castles from around the UK c.f. Llanthomas Motte.
 * Historical Britain - Mottes c.f. Llanthomas Motte.
 * Anglo-Norman Castles c.f. Llanthomas.
 * Where to Photograph Castles in Brecknockshire c.f. Llanthomas.
 * Castles in Wales c.f. LCM,
 * Castlefacts c.f. Llanthomas Motte, Llanigon.

Other online sites that reference LCM include:


 * Open Street Map.
 * Landscape Britain has a radar map of the Llanthomas Castle Mound terrain.
 * Llanigon War Memorial c.f. motte and bailey castle.
 * Ancient OS maps e.g. 1888 c.f. tumulus 370.
 * Images of LCM.
 * Motte (Internet) weather station.
 * HR3 5PU streetmap.

Antiquarian books with references to LCM

 * Leyland, John (1906). The itinerary in Wales, 1536-1539 (Lucy Toulmin Smith ed.).
 * Poole, Edwin (1886) . The Illustrated History and Biography of Brecknockshire from the Earliest Times to the Present Day.
 * Lewis, Samuel (1833). A topographical dictionary of Wales, Vol 1.
 * Lewis, Samuel (1833). A topographical dictionary of Wales, Vol 2.

Modern books with references to LCM

 * Remfry, Paul Martin (1999, p 122). Castles of Breconshire: No. 8. Herefordshire: Logaston Press. ISBN 978-1-873827-80-2.
 * Salter, Mike (2001, p 29). The Castles of Mid Wales (2nd ed.). Folly Publications. ISBN 1-871731-48-8.
 * Morgan, Gerald (2013, p 232). Castles in Wales - a Handbook (1st ed.). Y Lolfa. ISBM 978-1-84771-031-4.

Selected journal articles with references to LCM

 * D. J. Cathcart King. The Castles of Breconshire.
 * D. J. Cathcart King. Castellarium Anglicanum: An Index and Bibliography of the Castles in England, Wales, and the Islands: Vols 1-2.
 * Ministry of Works. List Of Ancient Monuments In England And Wales.
 * Lloyd, John Edward (1903). Historical memoranda of Breconshire; a collection of papers from various sources relating to the history of the County.