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Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog is a medieval moated enclosure situated in the upland landscape of Wales. The monument comprises a substantial rectangular moat that once surrounded a residential or administrative dwelling, typical of high-status occupation in the medieval period. Such moated sites represent a common form of fortified domestic settlement across Britain and Wales from the twelfth century onwards, providing both defensive capability and a visible statement of landholding authority.
The site sits upon bedrock composed of Arenig Rocks, a formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone dating to the Arenigian geological period. This solid substrate would have provided a stable foundation for the moat's banks, though the varying permeability of these stone types would have influenced drainage and water retention within the enclosure. The local geology shaped both the practicality of moat construction and the character of the surrounding landscape.
Cwrt Malle is protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, recorded under reference CM390. This designation reflects the site's significance as evidence of medieval settlement patterns and social organisation in Wales. The moated enclosure remains a visible earthwork feature, offering insight into the spatial arrangement and status of a medieval Welsh estate.
Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM390. View the official record →
Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog is a medieval moated enclosure situated in the upland landscape of Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM390.
Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a moated site. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog 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 CM390.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Is-Coed-Uchaf Standing Stone (5 km), Is-Coed Standing Stone (6.1 km), Yr Hen Gapel, Llanybri (6.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog'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.
Cwrt Malle moated site, Llangynog stands on Arenig Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Arenigian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.