Buddugre Castle
Buddugre Castle (sometimes referred to as Tomen Bedd-Ugre, Castell Cwm Aran, Tomen Bedd Turc and Bedd-y-gre) was a motte and bailey defensive fortification overlooking the River Ithon, located in the community of Llanddewi Ystradenny, in Radnorshire (modern-day Powys), Wales.[1] It is believed to have been built as a defensive measure in the medieval period, during the 12th century,[2] as a timber castle.
History
[edit]Owain, King of Gwynedd is credited with building the castle in Budugre in 1149 as a defense measure for the vale of Clwyd. This brought Owain close to conflict with Madog ap Maredudd, the ruler of Powys who was opposed to any encroachment of his powers.[2][3] It is also said that it could have been built by Cadwallon, set high on top of a hill instead of in a valley akin to Norman castles of this period.[4]
Features
[edit]The castle structures on the mound located at the southern extremity of a ridge that faces south. The slopes of the ridge are towards west and south and on its east towards the Ithon Valley[4] but are long gone, but the land still clearly bears the marks of a ditched motte. The motte has a diameter of 34 metres (112 ft) and raises to a height of 6 metres (20 ft), with an oval embankment and ditched bailey; the ditch measuring 1 metre (3 ft 3 in). The ditched bailey measures 38 by 56 metres (125 ft × 184 ft). There are indications of a rectangular range surrounding the motte which measures 26 by 10 metres (85 ft × 33 ft) in an eastern direction. The top of the mound is flat, over which it is conjectured that a structure made either of timber or stone had existed as a defensive measure. Also seen close to the mound are "crop marks" which could have been a court, the llys.[1][3] Y The ditch that surrounds the motte has two 2 causeways over it running from the south and south-west. There is entry to the bailey from the south. A hut platform inside the bailey facing the south-west causeway over the ditch is made of earth and measures about 12 by 5 metres (39 ft × 16 ft).[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ^ a b Evans 1974, p. 180.
- ^ a b "Looking for history under the branches: Issue no 34". British Archaeology Journal. May 1998. Archived from the original on 12 August 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
- ^ a b c "Tomen Bedd Urge, Llanddewi Ystradenny". Gatehouse Gazetteer. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- John Edward Lloyd, A History of Wales: From the Norman Invasion to the Edwardian Conquest, p. 96.
- Bibliography
- Evans, Gwynfor (1974). Land of My Fathers: 2000 Years of Welsh History. Y Lolfa. ISBN 978-0-86243-265-2.
