Castell Prysor (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Cwm Prysor

In the community of Trawsfynydd.
In the historic county of Merioneth.
Modern authority of Gwynedd.
Preserved county of Gwynedd.

OS Map Grid Reference: SH75783687
Latitude 52.91482° Longitude -3.84877°

Castell Prysor has been described as a certain Timber Castle, and also as a probable Palace.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

The medieval castle mound known as Castell Prysor is formed from an outcrop upon a spur projecting from the hillside above the Prysor valley. There are ruins of several buildings and terraces and enclosures, to the west and east. This is thought to have been a princely court, or llys. A later building (NPRN 28274) occupies an earlier building platform. This is one of several instances in Merioneth where an apparently unfortified mansion or court is associated with a castle mound, for example Crogen (NPRN 306558) and Rug (NPRN 306598). At Aber in Caernarvonshire a thirteenth century court (NPRN 309171) was excavated at the foot of a castle mount (NPRN 95692). A natural rock boss has been formed into a high steep sided mound by the addition of a mass of stones set in clay, retained by a massive spiralling wall. The resulting mound is in the region of 40-50m across and 15-25m high, with a level summit 8.0-13m across. Pennant noted traces of a round tower in the late eighteenth century (Tours ii, 111-12). The castle mound has no certain outworks. Pennant's notice of 'many Roman coins & urns' being found here may be no more than a figure of speach. (Coflein–John Wiles, RCAHMW, 09.07.07)

This natural boss of rock is strengthened and topped by a stone mound which was originally revetted with dry walling, now badly ruined. Edward I wrote a letter from here on 1 July 1284, but it is obviously an earlier Welsh castle. (Lynch, 1995)

Sources of information, references and further reading

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 308964.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 4271.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Jeff Thomas's Castles of Wales
Books
- Davis, Paul, R., 2011, The Forgotten Castles of Wales (Almeley: Logaston Press) p. 43-4
  Kenyon, John, 2010, The Medieval Castles of Wales (University of Wales Press) p. 19
  Butler, L., 2009, 'The Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd' in Willams, D. and Kenyon, J. (eds), The Impact of the Edwardian Castles in Wales (Oxbow) p. 27-36
  Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 241 (listed)
  King, D.J.C. with Kenyon, J.R., 2001, 'The Castles: a Study in Military Architecture' in Smith J.B. and Smith L.B. (eds), History of Merioneth Vol. 2 p. 408-9
  Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 113
  Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p. 55
  Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p. 27
  Lynch, Frances, 1995, A Guide to Ancient and Historical Wales: Gwynedd (London: HMSO)
  Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
  Avent, Richard, 1983, Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd (Cardiff)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus)
  Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p. 374
  RCAHMW, 1921, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Merionethshire (HMSO) p. 179 no. 568
  Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales view online copy
Periodical Articles
- de Levandowicz, Martin, 1998, ' A Survey of Castell Prysor, Meirionnydd' Archaeology in Wales Vol. 38
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
  Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124
  Gresham, C.A. and Hemp, W.J., 1949, ‘Castell Prysor’ 96th Annual Meeting: Programme, 1949, CAA p. 23 (reprinted in the 1971 Harlech Programme p. 26-7)
  Gresham, C.A. and Hemp, W.J., 1948-9, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 100 p. 312-3
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents -This section is far from complete, particularly for the major royal castles and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Edwards, J.G. (ed), 1940, Littere Wallie, preserved in Liber A (Cardiff) p. 170

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