TREFTADAETH CYMUNED LLANELLI COMMUNITY HERITAGE - Historical Models
Historical Models
Mr.John Wynne Hopkins who is a military artist, Chairman of Llanelli Community Heritage and teacher at Pen y Bryn Senior Special School,
Swansea, has, with the active participation of his pupils, produced three exceptional historical models linked to sites
in the Llanelli Town and immediate vicinity.
1. Llanelli Castle Motte and Bailey - Old Castle area.
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales' 1917 Inventory of the County of Carmarthen states
that -
"An early Mound Castle unquestionably stood at Llanelly, the name of which has fortunately survived and lead to the
identification of the site"
This Mound can be seen today in Pontwym, the reservoir of the Old Castle Works, Peoples Park, Llanelli.
The Castle may have been established in the 1090's and attacked by Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1190 and Rhys Ieuanc in 1215.
2. Roman Marching Camp - Castle Buildings.
There may have been a Roman Marching Camp, situated beneath today's "Castle Buildings"
The evidence for this comes from the Victorian historian, John Innes, who quotes Arthur Mee, adding that
"he knew the square mound well and witnessed its removal....and there were no stone foundations or buildings of any kind"
indicating that the site of the Camp was an earthwork.
This Marching Camp may have been built in the AD 70's during one of the early Roman Campaigns in Wales.
3. Iron Age Enclosure/Fortified Farm - Cwmbach.
This farm enclosure is situated on Cencoed-Uchaf Farm, Cwmbach, Llanelli, in a field called Caer Glas.
Ordance Survey reference SN 478029.
On older maps it is called Caer Bach ( Small Fort ) and may have been established during the Iron Age about 250 BC.
It consists of an oval earthwork enclosing an area of 600 sq. metres, which would have had a wooden palisade and gate and a number of round huts.
Click here
to see photos of the models of
Llanelli's Motte and Bailey Castle,
Roman Marching Camp
and Iron Age Enclosure.
On Display
On Saturday September 11th 2004 John presented the models at Parc Howard Museum to Carmarthenshire County Council Chairman Gerald Meyer who accepted them on behalf of the Museum Service. This was made possible by the purchase of 3 special presentation cases for the museum.
The money for the purchase of the museum cases was raised through various sources:-
1. The sale of Christmas cards depicting Llanelly House - thanks to all who participated including the pupils of Penybryn and members of Llanelli Historical Society.
2. Painting commissions received by John.
3. The much welcomed sponsorship from local businesses:-
Ron and Sue Lewis, Specsavers, Stepney Street, Llanelli.
Corus Packaging Plus, Trostre Works, Llanelli.
John and Annette Butler, Framework Enterprises Ltd., Felingwm Uchaf, Carmarthen.
Clive and Tina Martin, In The Frame, Station Road, Llanelli.
Llanelli Community Heritage would like to thank Mr.Adrian G.Williams, Headteacher at Penybryn, the pupils, Mr.Chris Delaney, County Heritage Manager, Mrs.Anne Dorsett, County Museums Officer, the members of Llanelli Historical Society, the Sponsors and the public for their invaluable encouragement and support in making this exciting project such a success.
Two wall mounted Models are planned for next year and presentation cases will be needed to allow their display at Parc Howard.
Llanelli Community Heritage would be grateful for any help offered to raise the necessary funds to purchase those cases.
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