History
The medieval town of Cowbridge was founded after the mid-13th century at the initiative of Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, likely on the site of an older settlement. After securing his estates in 1243, Richard de Clare began consolidating his rule in Glamorgan, becoming one of the greatest magnates in England and Wales by the time of his death in 1262. He founded Cowbridge in 1254, likely to increase income from his newly acquired estate, favorably situated at a bridge crossing over the River Thaw, on an old route dating back to Roman times, connecting Cardiff in the east with Swansea and Neath in the west.
The walls of Cowbridge were built in the early 14th century, perhaps on the site of older timber and earth fortifications dating back to the mid-13th century. It were built during the town’s peak financial prosperity, to protect the estates of the Lords of Glamorgan and facilitate toll collection during the twice-weekly market days. The fortifications of Cowbridge were a relatively modest investment, resulting from the town’s small size, which had never been the seat of a lordship or even a minor knightly family, and whose short-lived prosperity stemmed solely from trade. The immediate impetus for the construction of the fortifications may have been the threat of Welsh raids, particularly during the Llewelyn Bren rebellion of 1314-1316.
Cowbridge’s walls remained in operation throughout the Middle Ages and the early modern period. In 1610, it was recorded that no person should throw dust, dung, or anything else into the streets, the town ditches, or within forty feet of any of the four gates. In 1630, the north gate was mentioned, but as no longer in existence. Further gates and sections of the wall were demolished or collapsed in the 18th century. In 1754 the western gate was demolished to facilitate traffic, and the eastern gate was demolished about twenty years later. In 1805, for unknown reasons, the southern gate was deemed important enough to be repaired. Further renovations were carried out in 1862.
Architecture
Cowbridge walls were in the shape of an irregular pentagon, encompassing a small area of approximately 5.5 hectares. The town lay amidst gentle hills on the north side of the River Thaw, although the defensive perimeter likely did not extend directly to its banks. The river could have been used to at least partially irrigate the moat surrounding Cowbridge on three sides. Wet meadows may have provided additional protection from the north. The longest straight section of the fortifications ran on the north side, parallel to the main road through the town. Two shorter sections completed the perimeter to the east and west, while two further sections may have formed an obtuse angle to the south, near the site of the town’s church of the Holy Cross.
The town’s wall was approximately 2.4 meters thick at ground level, a dimension that also included a batter that reinforced the structure from the outside. The wall reached a height of approximately 7.7 meters, a level where a battlemented wall-walk for the defenders was located. The curtain walls were reinforced by an unknown number of towers, probably mostly semicircular, opened onto the town side and situated at the corners of the walls. They were probably not very high, at most exceeding the crown of the wall by one story. The corner tower in the western part of the perimeter was semicircular in shape with a polygonal superstructure.
Four gates led into the town: north, south, west, and east one, with the north gate being a smaller postern leading to the suburban pastures. The east and west gates faced the main road leading towards Cardiff and Neath, while the south gates faced the castle and church in the settlement of Llanblethian. The south gate was a quadrangular building measuring 6.4 x 5.8 meters, probably tower-like, with one or two rooms above the gateway at the ground floor. The gateway was vaulted, 3.2 meters wide, and approximately 6 meters long. Access from the interior was via a pointed arcade, while from the exterior it opened with a segmental arch. Access to the upper floor was likely via stairs embedded in the thick of the eastern wall.
Current state
A significant portion of the southwestern section of the town wall has survived to this day, including the partially preserved south gate and two towers. The sections of the wall are now much lower than in the medieval period, reaching a height of approximately 3.7-4 meters. Furthermore, the southwestern section has been pierced with two modern gates and partially rebuilt. Even lower was the northern section of the wall, discovered in 1914, and a section of wall uncovered during the recent reconstruction of the Bear Hotel. The south gate, although preserved only in the ground floor, which reaches a height of 6.1 meters, is the only town gate to survive from the medieval period in Glamorgan. Its external buttresses are likely early modern additions.
bibliography:
Hopkin-James L.J., Old Cowbridge, borough, church, and school, Cardiff 1922.
Robinson D.M., Cowbridge. The archeology and topography of a small market town in the Vale of Glamorgan, Swansea 1980.
Salter M., Medieval walled towns, Malvern 2013.