Knighton Castle Mount

Has been described as a Certain Timber Castle (Ringwork Motte)

There are earthwork remains

NameKnighton Castle Mount
Alternative NamesCnicteton; Cnichton; Trefylco; Trefeclaud; Trefclawdd
Historic CountryRadnorshire
Modern AuthorityPowys
1974 AuthorityPowys
CommunityKnighton

Motte with possible shell keep, or a small mutilated ringwork and bailey. An embanked mound enclosed by a modern wall, c.26m by 22.5m, the bank has been interpreted as a collapsed wall and traces of a projecting bastion to the N have been observed. To the S is an enclosure defined by modern property boundaries, c.51.5m by 38m. This may be the castle mentioned in 1181, 1191-3 and 1207. (Coflein)

Motte and bailey castle. The motte has been partially damaged and the bailey is now a mixture of orchard and allotment with houses in the bailey ditch. The motte is surrounded at its base, in parts, by a collapsing stone wall. (Cadw 1986). (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. Knighton motte and bailey castle stands high above the valley of the Teme and commands a wide view of three approaches to the hills on the north-west, west and south-west. The motte has been partially despoiled, and the bailey is now a mixture of orchard and allotment. Houses have been built in bailey ditch. (Scheduling Report)

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 ReferenceSO284723
Latitude52.3443794250488
Longitude-3.05236005783081
Eastings328419
Northings272312
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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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. 63
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 181
  • Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p. 96
  • Remfry, P., 1996, Castles of Radnorshire (Logaston Press) p. 112-3
  • Gregory, D., 1994, Radnorshire: A Historical Guide (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Iard yr Orsaf)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 408
  • Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 361
  • Davies, R.R., 1978, Lordship and society in the March of Wales, 1282-1400 (Oxford) p. 42n
  • Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 219
  • Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 691-2 (slight)
  • RCAHMW, 1913, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Radnorshire (HMSO) p. 55 no. 214 online copy
  • Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 293 online copy
  • Davies, Edwin (ed), William, Jonathan, 1905, A General History of the County of Radnor (reprinted from 1858, Archaeologia Cambrensis (ser3) Vol. 4) p. 218-9
  • Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales online copy

Journals

  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132 (survived into C13 without being rebuilt in stone)
  • 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
  • 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)
  • Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol. 33 p. 106-12

Primary Sources

  • Pipe Rolls 1182, 1191-93 (see Pipe Roll Society for references)
  • Hardy, T.D. (ed), 1835, Rotuli litterarm patentium in Turri londinensi asservati (Record Commission) p. 74b online copy
  • Williams (ab Ithel), John, (ed), 1860, Annales Cambriae (444 – 1288) (London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts)1262 (as Trefeclaud) online copy

Other

  • Silvester, R.J., 1994, Radnorshire Historic Settlements (CPAT report) p. 71, 72 online copy