Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Llys Gwenllian Mound & Bailey
Denbigh, Denbighshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Motte and Bailey
- Period
- Medieval
- Community
- Denbigh
- Unitary authority
- Denbighshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 53.16825, -3.41316
- SAM number
- DE019
- Cadw record number
- 3790
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid 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 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.
Llys Gwenllian consists of a roughly rectangular enclosure, c.75m by 54m, with a possibly ditched, rather polygonal motte, 24-25m in diameter and 6.5m high, at its SW end. The whole is defined by a ditch, with counterscarps on the NW and SW sides, and possible outworks on the NE; c.140m by 90m overall and obscured by farm buildings.
The site is associated with a daughter of Llewelyn ap Iorwerth.
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
- Pont YstradTransportunder 1 mi
- Rosa Fawr FarmhouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- North Wales Hospital: Primary Range, including adjoining walled 'Airing Courts' to NW and SEHealth and Welfareunder 1 mi
- Lodge and Gatepiers at the Main Entrance to the North Wales HospitalHealth and Welfareunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.