ABSTRACT

Prior to the use of mortared masonry, castles in Wales and the Marches were made of earth and timber. The construction of the masonry castle of Dryslwyn was undertaken between Phases 1a and 4a by the Welsh lords of Dryslwyn. The ironwork recovered from the destruction deposits derives from the full span of the castle's occupation. The walls of castles were frequently rendered and covered with limewash, to protect them against water damage. The occurrence of small fragments of slate in almost all soil and building debris deposits indicates that slate was used for roofing the castle buildings from Phase 2a onwards. Mortar was used extensively in the construction of Dryslwyn Castle. Mortar analysis has traditionally been undertaken in order to characterise its composition and, through compositional similarity, relate the mortar of a wall or floor to a specific building phase. Between 1980 and 1993, 6218 nails were excavated from the Inner Ward of Dryslwyn Castle.