Roft Motte

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte), and also as a Certain Palace (Other)

There are cropmark/slight earthwork remains

NameRoft Motte
Alternative NamesThe Rofft; Rofft Mount; The Rofts; Marford; Hoseley; Hodesley; Bromfield; castellum de Bromfeld
Historic CountryFlintshire
Modern AuthorityWrexham
1974 AuthorityClwyd
CommunityGresford

RCAHM described the motte as 3.8m high with a summit 20m in diameter. Possibly the castrum de Glynn of the 1391 survey of Bromfield. Possibly destroyed during rebellion of Madog ap Llewleyn 1294-5. Possibly mentioned in Domesday book and Pipe Rolls of 1160-61 (Pratt, 1984 p. 4) Roft Mount, rose 18ft above the surrounding ground level with a dry moat. Iron Age promontory fort used as outer bailey. Possibly site of the court of Osbern Fitztesso (1086). Site badly damaged March 1140. Rebuilt to become llys of Madog ap Maredudd (d. 1160). Fell into disrepair in C13. Manor house constructed in bailey by 1315 (Pratt, 1992, p. 33-5). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Site damaged by railway and quarrying (King writes destroyed in 1952). Mentioned in 1161-62 and, if correctly identified as Bromfield, as burnt in 1140. Was motte and bailey on promontory site.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ357562
Latitude53.100040435791
Longitude-2.9613299369812
Eastings335720
Northings356230
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Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
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

  • Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p. 87 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 105, 155
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 303
  • Jones, E.S., 1955, Trevors of Trevalyn
  • Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 268 online copy
  • RCAHMW, 1912, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Flintshire (HMSO) p. 57 no. 167 online copy

Journals

  • Swallow, Rachel, 2016, 'Cheshire Castles of the Irish Sea Cultural Zone' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 173.2 p. 288-341
  • Pratt, D., 1992, 'Fourteenth Century Marford And Hoseley: A Mardref In Transition' Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions Vol. 41 p. 25-69
  • Pratt, D., 1984, 'Some Sidelights On The Early History Of Gresford Church' Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions Vol. 33 p. 1-25
  • 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
  • Price, 1967, Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions Vol. 16 p. 10-20
  • Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol. 74 p. 249-280 (Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 90-121) view online copy (subscription required)
  • Palmer, A.N., 1905, 'History of the old parish of Gresford in the counties of Denbigh and Flint' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 60 p. 182-87 online copy

Primary Sources