Cythrel Castle

Castell Cythrel stands in the Vale of Glamorgan near the village of St Nicholas. It is a simple medieval earthwork mound, or motte, built without the usual surrounding defensive bank called a bailey. Most such mounds in Wales were raised between the late 11th and the second half of the 12th century from soil and stone, and usually surrounded by a ditch. The Normans introduced this style of fortification from France and the Welsh soon adopted it. The site is now protected by Cadw and carries the SAM reference number GM364. The largest concentration of these mounds in Britain lies along the historic Welsh Marches, including parts of Shropshire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Powys and Flintshire. Visitors find a low, grassy mound rising gently above the fields. There are no standing walls or towers, only the earthen shape and the remains of the surrounding ditch. The setting is peaceful farmland with wide views across the Vale. The site is quiet and little visited, offering a clear sense of how early Norman and Welsh defences were arranged.