Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Tomen y Faerdre Castle Mound
Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Denbighshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Motte
- Period
- Medieval
- Community
- Llanarmon-yn-Ial
- Unitary authority
- Denbighshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 53.09637, -3.20620
- SAM number
- DE006
- Cadw record number
- 2921
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1608 "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
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 ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). A motte is a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil and/or stone, usually surrounded by either a wet or dry ditch, and surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone.
Tomen y Faedre consists of a mound with a summit diameter of c.30m diameter and 6m high, located upon a natural outcrop with the Afon Alyn in the north-west. The motte is ditched and counterscarped away from the river. It is considered to have been built by Owain Gwynedd in 1149 in connection with his annexation of Powys. It was then taken by Iorwerth Goch ap Maredudd of Powys and burnt in 1157, and later restored and ditched by King John of England in 1212
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.
Nearby in the register
- Pont LlanarmonTransportunder 1 mi
- Plas IsafDomesticunder 1 mi
- Former Church SchoolEducationunder 1 mi
- Church of St GarmonReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.