Rhuddlan Town Banks

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 the medieval town defences of Rhuddlan. Begun around 1280 by King Edward I, the defences protected the new chartered borough of Rhuddlan.

Originally, the town defences would have enclosed the town borough on three sides with a substantial ditch and earthen bank topped with timber palisade. The fourth side of the borough was naturally protected by the river and steep cliff. The area enclosed by the defences amounted to approximately 30 hectares.

The defences survive in two locations: as a broad ditch with an outer bank on the western side of the town and as a field boundary to the south of the town. The western section can be traced nearly down to the river Clwyd, although parts are now covered with buildings. It rapidly dies out moving east, although it probably continued along the present line of Princes Road. Where surviving, the ditch is approximately 12m wide and 1.7m deep with the outer bank measuring 0.6m high and 15m wide. The southern section runs for some 950m down to the river Clwyd.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive organisation and the growth of towns. The monument forms an important element within the wider medieval context and the structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard 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.