Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

The Berries Mound & Bailey Castle

A Scheduled Monument in Portskewett (Porth Sgiwed), Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy)

We don't have any photos of this monument yet. Why don't you be the first to send us one?

Upload Photo »

Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 51.6022 / 51°36'7"N

Longitude: -2.7416 / 2°44'29"W

OS Eastings: 348735

OS Northings: 189518

OS Grid: ST487895

Mapcode National: GBR JJ.B92P

Mapcode Global: VH87S.FZHN

Entry Name: The Berries Mound & Bailey Castle

Scheduled Date: 12 September 1933

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 2966

Cadw Legacy ID: MM026

Schedule Class: Defence

Category: Motte

Period: Medieval

County: Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy)

Community: Portskewett (Porth Sgiwed)

Traditional County: Monmouthshire

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built during the medieval period. The site consists of a large steep-sided mound, 6m to 7m high in the NE corner of a roughly circular bailey. The motte has a flat summit and is surrounded by a flat-bottomed ditch varying between 2m and 4m wide and 1m to 2m deep. The bailey is cut on the W side by a deep modern drainage ditch. On the S side the bailey is defined by a low bank, 0.6m high on the outside and 0.2m high on the inside. On the N side there is a short stretch of bank, 0.5m-1m high, immediately W of the ditch surrounding the motte. On the SE side the bank is 1.5m high. Half way along the E side is a gap in the bank and a causeway across the ditch. The to N of the causeway the bank is 3m high and terminates at the ditch surrounding the motte.

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: Cadw

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.