Monument Type(s):

• RINGWORK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1540 AD)
• BOWLING GREEN (19th century - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)
• TUNNEL (19th century - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)

Summary

Scheduled Monument: An exceptionally fine and strongly situated example of a medieval ringwork (an earthwork fortification), traditionally believed to have been constructed by Brogyntyn, the son of the Welsh Prince Owen Madre.

Related records: None recorded

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA356 - 1972 field observation by the Ordnance Survey
• ESA357 - 1980 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA358 - 1983 field observation by English Heritage
• ESA6504 - 2010 field and condition survey of Brogyntyn Hall parkland and walled garden, near Oswestry by CAP

Description

Classified as a Class A ringwork (interior not raised). <1a>
This large ringwork is virtually as described by Wall and Downman (VCH).The banks are now covered in rhododendrons while the interior is in use for breeding game-birds. OS FI 1972. <1><1b>

Traditionally constructed by Brogyntyn, son of Prince Owen Madre of Wales. It is of great strength both naturally and artificially, occupying a spur which rises high above the surrounding land on the N, W and E. The interior measures 130ft in diameter, and is surrounded by a rampart 6ft high, and is surrounded by a rampart 6ft high which descends 18ft into an outer ditch. The entrance was on the NE . The interior has been levelled to form a bowling green. <2a>

Evaluated for MPP in 1990-1, High score as one of 20 Ringworks. <3>

Scheduling revised in 1995. Scheduling description: ->

-> The monument includes Castell Brogyntyn ringwork castle, and the tunnel beneath it. The ringwork is situated in Brogyntyn Park (an area of landscaped parkland associated with Brogyntyn Hall). It is sited in a strategically strong position on the northern tip of a spur of high ground overlooking land falling to the north, west and east. The castle is traditionally thought to have been constructed by Brogyntyn, the son of the Welsh Prince Owen Madre. The site has exceptional defensive strength achieved through both its siting and through the scale of its artificial defences. ->

-> It includes a well defined outer ditch 6m wide and averaging 2m deep which has been cut around the end of the spur to form a circular enclosure with an overall diameter of 80m. Around the south east side of the site there are traces of an outer bank up to 5m wide and 0.4m high flanking the outer edge of the ditch. The ditch is interrupted for approximately 5m in the north east quarter of its circuit by what is probably an entrance to the castle. At this point the outer edge of the ditch curves outwards on both sides of the gap towards the north, running for approximately 30m as a shallow sunken way. A lowering of the inner rampart corresponding with this feature suggests that it represents an approach to the interior of the ringwork. This entrance may be associated with the medieval occupation of the castle or with its modern period of use as a bowling green. Rising from the base of the ditch is a steep sided rampart up to 5.2m high on its outer face and 1.6m high on its inner face, enclosing a circular area 47m in diameter. ->

-> The interior of the ringwork has been levelled and used as a bowling green. In the north west quarter of the interior, built partly into the inner face of the medieval rampart, are the remains of a small circular, or semicircular building with an internal diameter of 5m. The stone and brick walls stand to a height of 1.5m around the west side, where it is set into the rampart. Scattered broken slates in the immediate vicinity indicate that it originally had a slate roof. It is believed to relate to the period when the interior was used as a bowling green, and is included in the scheduling. ->

-> A striking feature of the site is a rock cut tunnel which has been cut diagonally north west to south east through the natural strata beneath the ringwork. The tunnel entrances lie in the ringwork ditch, it is some 80m long, averages 2m high and 1.5m wide and curves slightly towards its centre so that it is not possible to see directly from one end to the other. It is however possible to walk its full length. At both ends of the tunnel the outer face of the ringwork ditch has gaps cut through it directly opposite the tunnel. The tunnel was either built as part of an elaborate landscape walk through the parkland or it was part of a water distribution system, perhaps associated with the ornamental lakes below the castle to the north west. The tunnel is included in the scheduling. <4>

Castell Brogyntyn was visited during a condition assessment of the garden features on the Brogyntyn Estate, underaken in 2010. During the survey, it was noted that the main structure of the Castell is a low wide Motte with an encircling rampoart constructed around the outer edge of the summit. The Motte was constructed using earth and sandstone rocks, some of considerable size. The slight trace of a possible bailey was recorded on the south-eastern side of the motte, although extremely difficult to positively identify due to the overgrown nature of the area. ->

-> The summit of the motte was apparently levelled for the construction of a bowling green, and a small brick-built shelter was noted built into the inner edge of the summit bank on the south-western side of the motte. A tunnel is cut through the structure of the motte. This dates to the early 19th century and was evidently constructed to connect the Castle terrace walk with the path to the lakes. The tunnel is around 80m in length, constructed using small squared sandstone blocks, with an arched roof. It is slightly curved, preventing a view straight through. <5>

The ringwork is visible as an earthwork on aerial photographs and has been mapped by RCHME's Marches Uplands Mapping Project. <6><6a>

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.