Civil War Earthworks

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

This monument comprises the remains of a Civil War (1642-48) defensive earthwork. Located to the north east of the castle and town walls, the earthwork was constructed by parliamentarian forces during the siege of Denbigh Castle.

Following the outbreak of civil war between king and parliament in 1642, a garrison of 500 men, commanded by Colonel William Salesbury (d. 1660), defended Denbigh Castle. In April 1646, Sir Thomas Mytton (d. 1656), one of parliament’s most important commanders in north Wales, laid siege to the town and castle of Denbigh. The besiegers concentrated their main efforts on the Goblin Tower which protected the defenders’ only reliable source of water.

The parliamentary forces dug crescent-shaped earthwork bastions to protect their artillery. What remains today comprises a flat-topped embankment c. 30m long and between 2m and 4m wide extending in a south-easterly direction from a point 40m north east from the Goblin Tower. There is a slight twist to the southern end and the lower slopes of the embankment are truncated by a modern driveway. To the east of this feature there is an irregular-shaped mound measuring c. 24m in diameter with a rounded profile. There are also the slight remains of other earthworks between the embankment and mound.

This monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the Civil War, political life as well as military techniques. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.