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Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle is a medieval motte and bailey fortification located in Wales and protected by Cadw as scheduled monument BR045. The castle comprises a substantial earthwork mound, typical of Norman and early medieval defensive architecture, accompanied by an associated bailey enclosure. These fortifications were commonly established across Wales and the English borderlands from the 11th century onwards to secure newly conquered territory and maintain strategic control.
The site rises from Lower Devonian bedrock, a foundation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Early Devonian period. This geology underlying the monument influenced both the character of the landscape and the structural stability of the earthwork defences. The combination of natural topography and deliberately constructed earthworks would have maximised the defensive potential of the position.
Motte and bailey castles represent a distinctive medieval military technology, built rapidly and economically without requiring extensive masonry resources. Alexanderstone exemplifies this strategic form of fortification, with the mound serving as a raised strongpoint for observation and final defence, whilst the bailey provided a defended enclosure for garrison, animals and supplies. Such earthwork castles, though often superseded by stone structures, frequently saw repeated use and modification throughout the medieval period.
Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR045. View the official record →
Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle is a medieval motte and bailey fortification located in Wales and protected by Cadw as scheduled monument BR045. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR045.
Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte and bailey. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle 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 BR045.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Early Medieval Cross in St Brynach’s Church, Llanfrynach (4.3 km), Ty Illtyd Long Barrow (4.5 km), Coed y Caerau Camp (6.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle'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.
Alexanderstone Mound and Bailey Castle stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.