GATEHOUSE
The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
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Castell Cossan

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Eglwys Fair a Churig; Castell Coshan; Parc Castell

In the community of Llanboidy.
In the historic county of Carmarthenshire.
Modern authority of Carmarthenshire.
Preserved county of Dyfed.

OS Map Grid Reference: SN20242678
Latitude 51.91045° Longitude -4.61472°

Castell Cossan has been described as a Timber Castle although is doubtful that it was such.

There are earthwork remains.

Description

A sub-circular mound, about 14m in diameter and 3.0m high, set within a roughly 32m diameter ditch. (source Os495card; SN22NW12) Traces of rectilinear enclosures/features to the north-west may be associated with apparently modern, relict field boundaries. (Coflein as U mound)

Included by CADW under SAM Cm134 as a round barrow. (Dyfed Archaeological Trust HER as motte)
Comments

Eroded mound. Marked as Motte on OS map. Hill top position near crossroads, isolated from settlement, traces of wide silted ditch. Close to several other mounds identified as round barrows. The crossroads is not strategic and from the photo by Dave Evans (geograph.org.uk), which shows a small, barrow sized mound, there should be some doubt about this site. However the castell name comes from some source and it is possible for barrows to be reused as mottes. The original depth of the 'wide silted ditch' may help resolve the question.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
Coflein   County HER            
Maps >
Streetmap   NLS maps   Where's the path   Old-Maps      
Data/Maps > 
Magic   Historic Wales   V. O. B.   Geology   LIDAR  
Air Photos > 
Bing Maps   Google Maps   Getmapping   ZoomEarth      
Photos >
CastleFacts   Geograph   Flickr   Panoramio      

Sources of information, references and further reading
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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.
Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.
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This record last updated before 1 February 2016


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