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The comprehensive gazetteer and bibliography of the medieval castles, fortifications and palaces of England, Wales, the Islands.
 
 
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Pointz Castle

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Punch Castle; Poyntz; Castrum Poncii

In the community of Brawdy.
In the historic county of Pembrokeshire.
Modern authority of Pembrokeshire.
Preserved county of Dyfed.

OS Map Grid Reference: SM83022373
Latitude 51.86986° Longitude -5.15309°

Pointz Castle has been described as a certain Timber Castle.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

A ditched motte, 36m in diameter and 4.0m high, with no trace of further works. There are possible traces of a stonewalled structure upon the motte summit (Nprn30076). In C19 several unspecified bronze coins were found on the slopes of the mound, which has also produced a cross inscribed stone, hinting at an earlier origin for the mound. (Coflein)

This is doubtless the mound-castle of Punchard or Ponce, one of the Poitevin knightly tenants of bishop Peter de Leia (1176-1199), the manor being frequently referred to in royal and episcopal documents as Castrum or Villa Poncii. It was subsequently retained in the hands of the bishop, and became one of the principal granges in the extensive episcopal possessions. (RCAHMW)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). A motte is a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil and/or stone, usually surrounded by either a wet or dry ditch, and surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone. The motte at Pointz Castle measures 35ft in diameter across the top and 18ft high. For the greater part it is surrounded by a ditch with a 5ft counterscarp and is eroded or has been dug into on the south side. (Scheduling Report)
Comments

There is no bailey but the RCAHMW felt if there was one it lay to the west of the mound. It is more likely the Ponce house and farm lay to the east of the mound, where the modern farm building are and was probably lightly protected with a fence. The mound, probably surmounted by a timber tower, having a mainly symbolic function showing the knightly status of the foreign tenants to pilgrims heading to nearby St David's.
Links to archaeological and architectural databases, mapping and other online resources

Data >
Coflein   County HER   Scheduling        
Maps >
Streetmap   NLS maps   Where's the path   Old-Maps      
Data/Maps > 
Magic   Historic Wales   V. O. B.   Geology   LIDAR  
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Photos >
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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 07/07/2016 09:30:28


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