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Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales

Maes-Celyn Castle Mound

Crickhowell, Powys, Wales

A scheduled monument in Crickhowell, Powys, recorded as Motte (Medieval).

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913) covering the location of Maes-Celyn Castle Mound, Crickhowell, Powys, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1913), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Designation
Scheduled monument
Site type
Motte
Period
Medieval
Community
Crickhowell
Unitary authority
Powys
Country
Wales
Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
51.86826, -3.15320
SAM number
BR055
Cadw record number
1131

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1856 · 42. Brecon. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1898 · 232 Abergavenny (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1898 · 232 Abergavenny (Outline) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1901 · Sheet 14. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

Get directions ↗

This record in Cadw's own full report ↗

Cadw's description

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, a military stronghold built during the medieval period. The motte is elongated in plan, 2.5m high on the NE side and 6m high on the SW side. The summit is separated in to two levels by a 1m high scarp. On the SE side coursed masonry from a circular stone building survives, together with two short stretches of walling runing to the east and appearing to follow the circumference of the summit. In the pasture to the east of the motte is a crescentic shaped scarped slope which could represent the area of the former bailey.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive organisation. The well-preserved monument forms an important element within the wider medieval context and the structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information relating to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 2026-09-07, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ Cadw, the Welsh Historic Environment Service · Open Government Licence v3.0
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