Fforest Wood Castle

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameFforest Wood Castle
Alternative NamesCregrina; Forest Wood Mount
Historic CountryRadnorshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityGlascwm

A ditched motte, 29m in diameter and 4.0-7.0m high, to the S an area, 30m by 15m, between two steep gullies, is delimited by an artificial scarp to the S. (Coflein)

Motte. 29m base dia. 9m top dia. 4m high on n and 7m on s. lies at river confluence at foot of NW facing slope. bailey some 30m by 15m lies to S. wrongly recorded as tumulus by OS, 1964. No sign of a bailey of E and W sides, (Cadw 1998). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built during the medieval period. A motte and bailey castle comprises a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil or stone (the motte) surrounded by, or adjacent to, one or more embanked enclosures (the bailey). Both may be surrounded by wet or dry ditches and could be further strengthened with palisades, revetments, and/or a tower on top of the motte. The Forest Wood site lies at the foot of a north-west facing slope at a river confluence. It consists of a motte, measuring c.29m in diameter at the base, which stands c.4m high on the uphill (south-eastern) side and c.7m high on the downhill side, and is surrounded by a ditch. To its south lies a bailey measuring c.30m by c.15m, defined on its east and west sides by natural gullies and on the south by an artificial scarp. (Scheduling Report)

Gatehouse Comments

The location is not strategic but probably would control the easiest access onto the summer highland grazing. The site might represent a hafod (summer residence) or hunting lodge (Forest being originally a term for land preserved for hunting, not woodland)

- 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 ReferenceSO100528
Latitude52.1670188903809
Longitude-3.31595993041992
Eastings310076
Northings252890
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Bill Nicholls and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Bill Nicholls and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Remfry, P., 2008, The Castles and History of Radnorshire (SCS Publishing)
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 250 (listed)
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p. 61
  • Remfry, P., 1996, Castles of Radnorshire (Logaston Press) p. 128
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 407
  • RCAHMW, 1913, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Radnorshire (HMSO) p. 38-9 no. 142 online copy

Journals

  • 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
  • Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol. 33 p. 106-12