Vortigern Castle, Pistyll
Has been described as a Questionable Timber Castle (Motte)
There are uncertain remains
| Name | Vortigern Castle, Pistyll |
| Alternative Names | Nant Gwrtheirn |
| Historic Country | Caernarfonshire |
| Modern Authority | Gwynedd |
| 1974 Authority | Gwynedd |
| Community | Pistyll |
Lewis writes "To the east of the church is a vale called Nant Gwrtheirn, or "the vale of Vortigern," whither that prince is said to have retreated for shelter from his infuriated subjects, and where he built a castle, which is reported to have been destroyed by lightning."and "Near the shore is a verdant mound, said to have been the site of Vortigern's castle; and near it was formerly a tumulus, designated Bedd Gwrtheirn"
A tumulus of stone within, and externally covered with turf called Bedd Gwrtheyrn, stood on the hill now called Castell Gwrtheyrn. It was open, exposing a stone coffin, containing the bones of a tall man (RCAHMW, 1964) Castell Gwrtheyrn is an isolated stack of glacial boulder clay left after severe coastal erosion of an old platform, part of which forms the nearby fields. The stack has two shelves, on the lower is a group of boulders that appear to have been placed together. At the south-west end a more pointed slabby boulder is set upright, north of it is the remains of a pit, fill from which has been cast up around, mainly on the north-west. The upright stone may have been set there when digging out the rest but otherwise this is clearly a stone setting which has later been dug into and so fits the early description well except that there is no mound or cairn. If there was it was quite small in size and height. Probing suggests the robbing pit is about 0.8m deep below the land surface. (Gwynedd Archaeological Trust HER)
Not scheduled
Not Listed
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SH349451 |
| Latitude | 52.976619720459 |
| Longitude | -4.45918989181519 |
| Eastings | 234950 |
| Northings | 345180 |
