Ladys Mount, Powis Castle Park

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Siege Work

There are earthwork remains

NameLadys Mount, Powis Castle Park
Alternative NamesLadys Mound; Pola; Pole; Pool; Powis; Trallwng; Trallwm
Historic CountryMontgomeryshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityWelshpool

Lady's Mount is a rather oval ditched motte, c.34-7m in diameter and 5.6m high, with a D-shaped bailey platform, c.23m by 23m, on the south-west. A low bank around the summit of the motte that has been interpreted as the remains of a shell keep (Spurgeon 1968, 13; Arnold 1985, 30), it could also be related to the summerhouse said to have stood here, 'associated with the girlhoods of the second Duke of Powy's four lovely daughters' (AC 1923, 383). A structure appears to be depicted on the summit of the motte on the OS map of 1891. Possibly a predecessor to Powys Castle. (Coflein)

Well preserved motte with inner scarp and central platform. Bailey to south-west surviving as level platform. Very overgrown, c6m diameter. Waterlogging in ditch. The banks of the bailey are up to 1.2m high. On the top of the motte are slight outlines of a structure of circular shape. Between this and the banks at the summit of the motte is a slight causeway leading to a gap in the banks. There is no obvious pathway from here to the base of the motte although here the ditch is broken by a distinct causeway. The entrance appears to be along the northern bank of the bailey. Adjacent to this, on the inner side of the ditch, an abuttment is still visible extending from the base of the motte (Cadw 1997). The motte is c34m in diameter, surrounded by a ditch 5.7m wide, to the SW lies a D shaped ditched bailey c30m by 32m (Thomas D, 1998b). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Although usually suggested as an earlier site for Powis Castle it is also sometimes suggested as a siege work. See also Domen Castell, Welshpool for historical references to Trallwng which may apply to this site.

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

Not Listed

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ212063
Latitude52.6491394042969
Longitude-3.16577005386353
Eastings321220
Northings306340
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 245 (listed)
  • Davis, Paul R., 2007, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Y Lolfa) p. 92 (mention)
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p. 48 (mention)
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 150
  • Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing)
  • Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p. 202, 242
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 300 Vol. 2 p. 567
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 342
  • Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 265-6 online copy
  • RCAHMW, 1911, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Montgomeryshire (HMSO) p. 182 no. 930 online copy

Journals

  • P.G. Barton, 2013, 'Welshpool 'Motte and Bailey' Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 101 p. 151-54 (slight)
  • Barton, Peter G., 2012-13, 'Powis Castles Middle Park 'Motte and Bailey'' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 26 p. 185-89
  • Spurgeon, C.J., 1966, ‘The castles of Montgomeryshire’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 59 p. 13, 51-4 online copy
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  • 1923, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 78 p. 383

Other

  • Thomas, D., 1998, South Twyi/Irfon/Crychan/Glasfynydd Archaeological Assessment (CPAT report)