Erw'r Castell Mound, Caerwys (The Gatehouse Record)

Erw'r Castell Mound, Caerwys

In the community of Caerwys.
In the historic county of Flintshire.
Modern authority of Flintshire.
Preserved county of Clwyd.

OS Map Grid Reference: SJ132729
Latitude 53.24604° Longitude -3.30312°

Erw'r Castell Mound, Caerwys has been described as a probable Timber Castle, and also as a probable Fortified Manor House, and also as a Palace although is doubtful that it was such.

There are uncertain remains.

Description

Mound 30m diameter, approx 2.5m high, probably natural on steeply sloped hillside. In the centre of the field is a more or less circular earthen mound 70 paces circ and 8-10ft high (Davies 1949, 79). Site is a natural feature on a steeply sloping hillside (CPAT site visit 30/09/99). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

Site just east of Caerwys church. Caerwys was a town of importance in medieval times (the site of an assize) and has the road layout of a planned Norman town. The tenurial history was as a holding of welsh princes. There should have been a high status manor and court house or llys at Caerwys which may well have had some symbolic military architectural features. Caerwys was granted a Royal Charter in 1290 which would be late for a timber castle but their was an earlier settlement. Although this mound is recorded as either natural or a ?round barrow its location is possible for a castle. Lewis writes "In a field near the village, called Erw'r Castell, was anciently a fortress, the history of which is unknown, and of which there are no remains." This may refer to this site or to a fieldname recorded at SJ128734, an even more likely castle site just north of the town (The town is natural defended by steep slopes on sides except the North). However Lewis's 'fortress' may be a reference to a reputed Roman fort from which the town takes it name, although a Roman origin would not preclude medieval use of the site as a llys.

Links to mapping and other online resources

Data >

County HER

Maps >

OS getamap

Streetmap

Old-Maps

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Data/Maps >

Magic

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Panoramio

Sources of information, references and further reading

The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 102518; 102723.

Books
- Davies, E., 1949, Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Flint (Cardiff)
  Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales view online copy

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Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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This record last updated on Wednesday, May 1, 2013

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