Mynydd-y-Castell

Also known as:
Mynydd -y-Castell Camp
Nearest town:
Maesteg (6km NE)
OS reference:
SS806867
OS sheet:
170
Latitude:
51° 33' 57.56 N
Longitude:
3° 43' 22.29 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by juamei

Image Credit: Natural Resources Wales

Image credit: LiDAR Composite Dataset. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v2.0.
juamei
juamei Mar 25, 2018
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Some scale for the eastern flank, looking approx north

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 10, 2018
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

The powerful eastern defences, looking approx south

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 10, 2018
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by GLADMAN

Approaching from the Ogwr Ridgeway to the east. The Margam steelworks can be seen beyond.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 10, 2018
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

On the berm below the southwestern bank, looking northwest.

Image credit: A. Brookes (1.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 16, 2012
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking north along the eastern ramparts. The banks and ditch are full of dying bracken, as well as plentiful rhododendrons. A summer visit might be less rewarding.

Image credit: A. Brookes (1.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 16, 2012
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The eastern rampart, looking south. Steep natural slopes are augmented by two banks and a ditch on this side of the fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (1.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 16, 2012
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Low inner scarp, possibly representing the remains of an earlier settlement phase.

Image credit: A. Brookes (1.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 16, 2012
Image of Mynydd-y-Castell (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The steeply sloping southern aspect of the fort, from Margam Castle.

Image credit: A. Brookes (1.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 16, 2012

Articles

Mynydd-y-Castell

C
CARL Jul 22, 2010

I visited this site last week whilst spending the afternoon at Margam Park with the family. Margam Park is free to enter but you are charged for parking (£3.50). Behind the stately home there is a cafe / shop. Running alongside the cafe is a path heading north. Follow this path and you will shortly come to a gate. Go through the gate and follow the path straight ahead (not the path to the right). You then come to two large trees – one each side of the path. Come off the path here and make your way up the hill through the trees and bushes. It is a steep climb with no paths but it does take you to top of the hillfort. There is not much of a view due to the trees and the only obvious remains I could see was a single ditch/rampart along the south west side. There is also a large modern squarish ‘building’ in the middle of the hillfort which must be to do with Margam Park House? The hillfort gets a mention in the visitors guide you can buy. This is a good place to spend a few hours and will also give you the chance to nip of for a quick hillfort visit!

Miscellaneous

Mynydd-y-Castell
Hillfort
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jan 10, 2018

The low, coastal hills stretching between Maesteg and Port Talbot are crowned by a number of ancient earthworks/enclosures of which this, to my mind, is certainly the finest... a powerful, univallate hill fort overlooking what is now Margam Country Park.

J.Wiles (11.12.02) reckons it is: “A roughly bean-shaped enclosure, c.270m N-S by 140m, on the summit of an isolated hill, is defined by a bank and ditch, generally reduced to scarps, counterscarped in places.”

The site slopes away from steep, rocky natural defences protecting the southern aspect to the Nant Cwm Phillip covering the north and, despite the presence of a disused reservoir upon the summit, a visit here is a (natural) joy to behold thanks to copious woodland upon all but the eastern flank; there’s also a ‘Minning Low-esque’ copse on top for good measure. The defences are pretty substantial, too.

Now although an approach from the country park seems obvious, may I suggest an alternative? A little east of the main entrance on the A48 a minor road signposted ‘Discovery Centre’ (or something like that) heads north. Follow this to its terminus near Graig Goch where a few cars can be left. Here a path heads westward through the Deer Park – or, if you prefer, ascend to the Ogwr Ridgeway Path above – and will lead you straight to the eastern flank of the fort. Well worth the effort.

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