Maes Gwyn, Pentrefoelas

Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameMaes Gwyn, Pentrefoelas
Alternative Names
Historic CountryDenbighshire
Modern AuthorityConwy
1974 AuthorityClwyd
CommunityPentrefoelas

This steep sided mound about 40 paces in circumference and 7' to 8' in height unlikely to be an early castle although it has been scheduled as a castle mound (OS495). Mound, c.11m in diameter & 1.3m high, having a summit area, c.2.5m across, possibly part of garden/landscaping associated with C17. house. (Coflein)

A small mis-shapen mound 4.5m across the top and 2.5m high. No trace of bailey or ditch but very unlikely to be a motte. More likely a round barrow , stoney composition. (Davies, E 1929, 385; Hogg, A H A 1963, 87; Hogg, A H A & King, D J C, 1970, 121). Field monument warden records that there has clearly been landscaping work in rear garden & paddock of Maes-Gwyn. Considered a possible motte by Spurgeon (Manley, J, Grenter, S & Gale, F, 1991, pp171). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

A small mound 15' across the top. It is 10' high towards the stream, but only 6' towards the farm house. There is a bank to the south west. Not a very convincing castle mound. (Scheduling Report)

Gatehouse Comments

In 1963 Hogg and King recorded this as a certain early castle on the bases of information from O.E. Craster. In their 1970 corrections paper, following a site visit, it is put into a possible list (meaning doubtful). Might be a mound symbolic of the tenurial status of a farmstead although may just be spoil heap of a type common by farmstead, an old barrow or a post modern garden feature.

- 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 ReferenceSH863524
Latitude53.056640625
Longitude-3.69759011268616
Eastings286330
Northings352410
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 237 (listed)
  • Manley, J., Grenter, S. and Gale, F., 1991, The Archaeology of Clwyd p. 171
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 105
  • Davies, E., 1929, Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Denbighshire (Cardiff) (as barrow)

Journals

  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1970, 'Castles in Wales and the Marches (Additions and corrections to lists published in 1963 and 1967)' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 119 p. 119-124 (possible)
  • 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 (listed as precussor to Pentre Foelas)