The Gatehouse website record for Trelech Town Defences

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Trellech; Tryleg; Trelleck; Trillech

In the community of Trellech United. In the historic county of Monmouthshire (Modern authority of Monmouthshire, preserved county of Gwent).

Norman town planted here by the de Clares and flourished in the shadow of the castle. By 1288 its population was larger than that of Chepstow, and at the beginning of C14 it was one of the eight largest towns in Wales. Thereafter it declined and shrank, following a fire started during a welsh attack 1296, although the decline was a prolonged one. Its former success is attested by its large church, which had a fine late medieval cross in the churchyard. Short sections remain of medieval earthworks.
Soulsby writes it is 'possible to detect something of the defences which enclosed the medieval borough. These appear to have been in the form of a ditch and slight bank, perhaps topped with a timber palisade, which followed the rectangular course determined by the four streams.'
There has been some debate about the location of the town but, in my view, the excavation south of the village are of a suburb of the town not the town itself the defences of which went around the modern village, the church and the motte castle, but excluded this, clearly large and significant, suburb.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO502050

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 300132
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 04291g 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other individuals and organisations. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

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