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Caer Siac Motte and Bailey is a medieval motte and bailey castle situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference MG342. The monument comprises the characteristic two-part earthwork typical of Norman-influenced fortifications: a raised mound, or motte, accompanied by an attached or nearby bailey, or outer defensive enclosure. These structures were built rapidly across Wales and the English Marches following the Norman conquest, serving as administrative centres and military strongholds during the medieval period.
The site is founded upon Wenlock Rocks, a geological formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone dating to the Wenlock epoch of the Silurian period. This solid bedrock would have provided a stable base for the earthwork's construction and subsequent settlement, whilst also influencing the landscape's natural defensive properties. The underlying geology reflects the ancient marine origin of the surrounding terrain.
Caer Siac represents an important record of medieval fortification strategy and settlement patterns in Wales. The motte and bailey form survives as an archaeological monument, preserving evidence of a significant phase in the region's medieval history. Such sites are valuable for understanding the processes of Norman settlement, Welsh territorial control and the evolving patterns of medieval military architecture across the Welsh landscape.
Caer Siac Motte and Bailey is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MG342. View the official record →
Caer Siac Motte and Bailey is a medieval motte and bailey castle situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference MG342.
Caer Siac Motte and Bailey 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.
Caer Siac Motte and Bailey 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 MG342.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Newtown Hall Castle Mound (6.2 km), Tomen Madoc Castle Mound (6.6 km), Great Cloddiau Camp (7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Caer Siac Motte and Bailey'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.
Caer Siac Motte and Bailey stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.