Twyn y Garth
This site at Grid Reference SO.107.437 was thought to have been a hill-fort, until in 1967 its similarity to a castle ringwork was recognised. The climb up Twyn y Garth accords wonderful views across the Wye valley as well as of the surrounding amphitheatre of mountains. The castle lies with the cantref of Elfael on the opposite side of the River Wye to Cantref Selyf.
The
main defences of the castle proper were undoubtedly the slightly squashed oval
ringwork set on the highest point of the hill. The entrance to the ringwork was
apparently gained by a causeway through the ditch and a corresponding break in
the rampart beyond. The six feet deep ditch appears to be virtually at its
original depth. Beyond the ditch is a slight counterscarp which protects the
gently sloping interior platform. To the south lies a rectangular annexe or
bailey that covers the southern base of the hill. This bailey that would have
effectively doubled the internal area of the ringwork. Its defences are now only
marked by a low one foot high rampart with the slightest trace of an
accompanying and never substantial ditch. The large amounts of stone found in
this slight bank may suggest that it once was a low wall or breastwork, although
the flimsy nature of the entire site may suggest that the fortification was
never completed and that this bailey was merely marked out on the hill top in a
one to one scale ground plan.
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