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Aberyscir Castle Mound is a medieval motte, a man-made earthwork fortification typical of the Norman and early medieval period in Wales. The mound rises from bedrock of Lower Devonian age, composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down during the Early Devonian period over 400 million years ago. This solid geological foundation would have provided a stable base for the earthwork's construction and any wooden or stone structures that crowned it.
The motte represents a form of fortification favoured in Wales from the late eleventh century onwards, serving both military and administrative functions. Such mottes typically comprised a high earthen mound, often artificially enlarged or heaped, which would have supported a wooden palisade and defensive tower from which the surrounding territory could be controlled and observed.
The site is protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference BR021. This designation recognises its archaeological importance and ensures the preservation of the structural remains and any archaeological deposits that may survive within the mound itself, contributing to our understanding of medieval lordship and settlement patterns in Wales.
Aberyscir Castle Mound is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR021. View the official record →
Aberyscir Castle Mound is a medieval motte, a man-made earthwork fortification typical of the Norman and early medieval period in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR021.
Aberyscir Castle Mound dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Aberyscir Castle Mound is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is BR021.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Enclosure West of Nant Cwm Llwch (5.3 km), Y Gyrn hut platform (N) (7 km), Y Gyrn longhuts (7.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Aberyscir Castle Mound's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Aberyscir Castle Mound stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.