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Old Castle Mound is a medieval motte, a defensive earthwork typical of Norman and post-Conquest settlement in Wales. The monument consists of an elevated mound constructed from earth and stone, commanding views across its surrounding landscape. Built on bedrock composed of Wenlock rocks—mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Silurian period—the mound's solid geological foundation provided stable ground for medieval fortification. Such mottes commonly served as the stronghold of a local lord, with the mound itself supporting a timber or stone tower or palisade, and often accompanied by a bailey, or defended outer enclosure.
Old Castle Mound is protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference RD077. This designation recognises its archaeological and historical significance as evidence of medieval settlement patterns and power structures in Wales. The mound remains a prominent landscape feature, preserving an important record of the region's post-Conquest period and the methods by which incoming authorities established control over Welsh territory.
Old Castle Mound is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD077. View the official record →
Old Castle Mound is a medieval motte, a defensive earthwork typical of Norman and post-Conquest settlement in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD077.
Old 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.
Old 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 RD077.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including The Gaer hillfort (8.2 km), Cwm Berwyn Camp (8.4 km), Cilberllan ring cairn (8.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Old 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.
Old Castle Mound stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.