Images

Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Three Glamorgan forts, seen from Porthcawl to the northwest. Dunraven is left of centre, Cwm Bach is right of centre, Nash Point is far right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.3.2024)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking south-eastwards along the coastline from Dunraven... this provides ample scope for a series of cliff/promontory forts... the next in line a small, yet wondrous enclosure at Cwm Bach; then a powerful site at Nash Point.....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The main western defensive bank from within the enclosure..

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking east along the ‘Heritage Coast’. Plenty more ‘forts that-a-way, too.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The western defences are really rather impressive for a cliff fort. Eroded, too.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Clearly, the western defences were intended to face the full force of any attack...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

For obvious reasons, this is what is known as a ‘cliff fort’. The enclosure occupies the majority of the cliff top, much more presumably having been reclaimed by the sea.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Note the crumbly bits waiting to fall into the sea...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

With the fast encroaching water threatening to submerge the boots... time to go.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Dusk beckons darkness... but the sea never sleeps, hammering away at the base of the cliff fort.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The relentless assault.... which can not be repelled by any warrior.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

How much of the cliff fort has been lost to the sea is anyone’s guess.......

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The multiple banks form a deceptively impressive defence.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Towards the perfectly sited cliff top enclosure from Traeth Bach.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The figure providing handy scale for the main surviving defences is actually the Mam C... doing something or other.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking from the west... the tiny figures are upon the main rampart line...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking approx south on the approach from the Heritage Centre. The ramparts protecting the most vulnerable flank of the enclosure remain relatively substantial.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking approx north from the main defensive work.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

The main defensive bank can be seen perched up the cliff top centre right..

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Dunraven from the opposite headland, above the “Dancing Stones”.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking up at the imposing defences of the main fort from the northwestern annexe.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

On the main rampart at the northern end of the fort, looking northwest. The ground drops away steeply on the right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The sloping, seaward part of the fort, beyond the fortifications.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The fort from the seaward end of the promontory. The highest part is encircled by the main rampart (fairly slight on this side). The sloping area between the rampart and the sea, where this photo is from, was occupied by huts (and then pillow mounds in the Middle Ages).

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The southern end of the northeastern rampart. Apologies for blurriness, it was pouring with rain at this point.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Dunraven seen from cliffs north of Cwm Bach. The next soaking of the day is on its way beyond.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.11.2012)
Image of Dunraven (Cliff Fort) by GLADMAN

Looking towards Slade (honest) and Southerndown across the site. The much reduced round barrow at Heol-y-Mynydd is sited upon the centre skyline. Mama we’re all crazzeee now! Apparently one needs to be to venture upon cliff tops in such weather...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone

Articles

Dunraven

Visited 4.5.14

Directions:
South of Bridgend off the B4524.
There is a large car park at the entrance to Dunraven Estate £3.00 all day.
There is also a small shop selling ice creams, tea bucket and spades etc.

It has been a few years since I was last year. I had quite forgotten what a nice beach this is – especially on a day like today. There were plenty of people about enjoying the sunshine.

I had taken Dafydd out for the day and we had earlier visited the renovated Galilee Church in Lantwit Major which now houses a fine selection of early Celtic Crosses / stones and graves – well worth a visit if you are in the area.

Although Dafydd was itching to get onto the beach I ‘persuaded’ him that a walk up the headland was required first in order to have a look at the remains of the Cliff Fort.
The double ditch/ramparts were a lot larger than I remembered and are still fairly impressive. The ditches were over head height when standing in them.

Obviously, there were good coastal views to be had.

From here we headed east along the coastal path towards the Cwm Bach Enclosure.

Dunraven

Slowly it dawns upon me just how special this Glamorgan coastline really is.... although, to be fair, the prehistoric treasures are not exactly obvious, particularly in the absence of an OS map. And again, who in their right mind would shell out for one covering the urban sprawl of Bridgend? Indeed. Nevertheless it would be a fine investment, as even a cursory glance at my newly purchased ‘library sell-off’ copy confirms. Numerous round barrows apart, a whole string of cliff/promontory forts are shown crowning the coastline. Duh! Only been visiting the Mam C here for 25-odd years....

Perhaps the most accessible of these Iron Age enclosures is that which overlooks Dunraven Bay, a little south-east of the seaside town of Ogmore-by-Sea and its near neighbour Southerndown. A newly refurbished road heads southwards from the latter (according to the Mam C the original was in dire danger of falling into the sea) to its terminus at a large ‘official’ carpark, a magnet for the locality upon those hot summer days which sometimes occur in South Wales. Today, with a hint of drizzle hanging in the air – or is it sea mist caused by the violent pounding of the cliffline by breakers? – there are still a fair few people about, walking dogs and what not. The majority head for the remains of Dunraven Castle, the ruins of a rather dodgy mansion which defile the north-eastern flank of the much older enclosure, presumably having destroyed the defences in that area.

The Mam and I, of course, head for the cliff line and sit a-while upon the relatively upstanding northern ramparts which still bar the direct approach from the car park. OK, these aren’t in themselves that particularly inspiring.... but the setting and coastal views most certainly are! A cliff-fort upon a cliff... whatever next? Pragmatic bunch, these ancient inhabitants of what was later to become Wales. The map shows additional ramparts to the south facing any approach from Trwyn y Witch (see Rhiannon’s post), although these are – to my mind – nowhere near as obvious. We go for a wander down to the aforementioned Trwyn y Witch... from here the cliff line is simply magnificent, the strata comprising the vertical rock faces, compressed and buckled by primeaval forces too powerful to even contemplate, rising above a raging malestrom of water. Fishermen have apparently been swept off this coastline to their deaths, and it’s not difficult to see why. Incidentally legend tells of how locals used to lure shipping onto the lethal offshore rocks, which are a prominent feature of these waters, in order to collect the resultant booty. Today surfer dudes brave the waves in search of spiritual enlightment.

The iconic coastline stretches away to the south-eastern horizon and, according to the map, bears numerous other Iron Age fortifications upon its dizzy heights – the nearest just a little along at Cwm Bach. Well there you are. Just when I thought the ‘list’ was diminishing....way to go, TMA’s Carl. The Mam is captivated by a bird of prey which perches upon a post to keep its beady little eyes upon us. Perhaps the greatest compliment I can accord Dunraven is that such a creature does not appear at all out of place here.

Dunraven

Visited as part of a day out looking at cliff forts along the South Wales coast. As with the other sites I visited there was nothing much to see – other than the lovely Welsh coast. Cracking on a fairly rare sunny day! There is a car park in Dunraven Bay which is only a short walk away.

Folklore

Dunraven
Cliff Fort

According to Coflein, this fort perches 60m above the sea, with double banks and ditches protecting the land side. Traces of 21 possible roundhouses have been found inside. It was landscaped as part of the grounds of the mansion mentioned below.

.. occupying a romantic situation on a rocky promontory called Twryn y Witch (or the Witch’s Nose).. [was] the Castle of Dundrivan (Castle of the Three Halls) where, according to tradition, Caradoc formerly kept his summer court.

If we may give credit to another story, a more recent possessor of Dunraven Castle [a 1700s mansion destroyed in the 1960s], Vaughan by name, was in the habit of alluring vessels to the coast by putting out false lights, that he might profit by the wrecks driven ashore, to which he was entitled as lord of the manor. In the very midst of his crimes, however, he lost his own three sons in one day, and, looking on this event as a judgement from heaven on his iniquities, he sold the estate to the family of Wyndham.

Some curious caverns are worn by the sea in the rock beneath the castle. Through one of them, called the Wind Hole, the sea is forced at times in lofty jets.

From p36 of
A Handbook for Travellers in South Wales and Its Borders, Including the River Wye, by John Murray (1860), online at Google Books.

The OS map shows (a platform of?) rocks on the beach called the ‘Dancing Stones’ but I can’t find any mention of this interesting name.

Sites within 20km of Dunraven