Scheduled MonumentsWalesKnighton Mound & Bailey Castle
Medieval · Motte and Bailey

Knighton Mound & Bailey Castle

Radnorshire, Wales
Cadw SAM RD053
Period
Medieval
Site type
Motte and Bailey
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

Knighton Mound and Bailey Castle is a motte and bailey fortification located in Radnorshire, Wales, dating to the Norman period following the late eleventh-century conquest and settlement of the region. The monument consists of a substantial mound with an associated bailey enclosure, representing a typical early Norman defensive strategy employed to secure frontier territories along the Welsh border. Such fortifications served as administrative and military centres during the period of Anglo-Norman expansion into Wales. The site remains substantially preserved as an archaeological earthwork and forms part of the significant corpus of motte and bailey castles that characterise Norman settlement patterns across the Welsh Marches.

Knighton Mound & Bailey Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD053. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Knighton Mound & Bailey Castle?

Knighton Mound and Bailey Castle is a motte and bailey fortification located in Radnorshire, Wales, dating to the Norman period following the late eleventh-century conquest and settlement of the region. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD053.

What period does Knighton Mound & Bailey Castle date from?

Knighton Mound & 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.

Who is responsible for protecting Knighton Mound & Bailey Castle?

Knighton Mound & 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 RD053.

What other scheduled monuments are near Knighton Mound & Bailey Castle?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Norton Mound And Bailey Castle (5.4 km), Offa's Dyke: Section extending 1125m SW to Gilfach Wood (6.3 km), Offa's Dyke: Section from Whitton-Presteigne Road to River Lugg (6.8 km).

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