Holywell Castle Mound

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 presumed 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. Holywell Castle Mound consists of a poorly defined 1.8m high mound in a very strong position at the point of a steep sided promontory overlooking St Winefride's Well and the parish church. There are slight traces of a ditch or natural on the southern side but no sign of an accompanying bailey enclosure which must have lain to the south on the only level approach from the town. At some point, probably in the 19th century, the site was incorporated into a romantic garden scheme with a revetted spiral path leading to the summit of the mound, which displays a number of large, rockery-like blocks of unworked limestone and may have supported a summerhouse. Another steep path at the base of the mound leads down towards the church.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive and domestic architecture. It is likely to be the castle of 'Trefynnon' built or rebuilt in 1210 following the burning of a castle in vicinity by Ranulf of Chester but is unlikely to have survived the subsequent Welsh resurgence in the area, after which Hen Blas or Coleshill became the principal Welsh seat. It has significant archaeological potential and is likely to retain buried structural remains and associated deposits providing evidence of the construction, development and use of the monument and contemporary material culture.

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