Twmpath Motte

The motte-and-bailey castle dates back to the middle Ages from about 1066 to 1540. Cardiff Castle was the capital of the Lordship of Glamorgan and Twmpath Castle formed one of a string of fortifications used to defend the newly conquered town of Cardiff with a ring of eight smaller earth and timber castles, Caerau Hillfort, Morganstown Castle Mound, Castell Coch and Whitchurch (known as Treoda), Cae’r Castell, near St Mellons and Rumney Castle.

Today the site is overgrown and stands approximately 25 ft high and 130 ft around. The top is 16 m in diameter. The motte is surrounded by a ditch, which varies in depth between 1 m to 1.2 m and width between 4 m and 5 m. Cadw has described the monument as being of "National importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits." It was designated as a scheduled monument on 23 July 1930.