Castle Pencader

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

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. 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. Castle Pencader is located on level promontory naturally defended by steep slopes with streams at the base on the north and east. The motte is flat-topped mound, about 40m in diameter and 5.5m high with a summit area approximately 24m across. It is divided from the bailey area to the west by a ditch, about 13m across and 1.2m deep, much of this area is now occupied by a school building, what remains is partly delimited by scarps.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits.

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