Newtown Hall Motte

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameNewtown Hall Motte
Alternative Names
Historic CountryMontgomeryshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityNewtown and Llanllwchaiarn

A 'D'-shaped mound measuring overall 55m (NW-SE) by 35m, its flat top 40m by 15m. Height of mound is about 4m above the bottom of a broad ditch which encircles the mound except on the NW. The mound has been transformed into an ornamental feature of the grounds surrounding Newtown Hall. Possible traces of a bailey to the NW. (Coflein)

Much mutilated late c 13th motte and bailey. filled ditch to N of now D shaped motte and small stone building prob civil war refortification. Bailey 79m N-S by 61m E-W in NE corner present park. moat to S. (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

After the fall of Dolforwyn, the local market was shifted from that site, down to the valley, where Roger Mortimer created Newtown in 1280. This would probably have been ramparted, and a mound rising to 5m with a 39m summit and bailey 79m by 61m was built on the south side of the town. Foundations of a stone building were found by excavation in 1910, but this may have dated from 1641, when Sir John Price refortified the site during the English Civil War. (Daniel Mersey – Castle of Wales)

Gatehouse Comments

1280 is an exceptionally late date for the construction of a motte, particularly one in a new English borough of a baron as significant as Mortimer. It seems reasonable to suppose there was an earlier settlement at this site and the motte may predate the foundation of Mortimer's new borough, although this was certainly the site of the manor house of that borough.

- 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 ReferenceSO107914
Latitude52.5133285522461
Longitude-3.31702995300293
Eastings310700
Northings291400
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Penny Mayes and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Penny Mayes and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 245 (listed)
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles of Mid Wales (Malvern) p. 47
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 152
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 299
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker)
  • RCAHMW, 1911, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Montgomeryshire (HMSO) p. 161-2 no. 818 online copy

Journals

  • Spurgeon, C.J., 1967, 'Llanelwedd Mound' Archaeology in Wales Vol. 7 p. 10
  • Spurgeon, C.J., 1966, ‘The castles of Montgomeryshire’ Montgomeryshire Collections Vol. 59 p. 16-7 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
  • 1911-12, Transactions of the Caedwain Field Club p. 43

Other

  • Silvester, R.J., 1992, Montgomeryshire Historic Settlements (CPAT report)