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Owain Glyndwr's Mount is a medieval motte located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference ME017. The earthwork rises from bedrock of Ludlow age mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, geology that would have provided stable ground for construction. Mottes of this type typically date to the Norman period or later medieval era and served as fortified administrative centres, though some were reused or constructed during periods of Welsh resistance to English rule.
The motte's form follows the standard medieval pattern: an artificial or heightened mound with a flattened summit, originally crowned by timber or stone fortifications. The surrounding terrain of Ludlow bedrock would have influenced both the mound's construction and its drainage. The monument's name associates it with Owain Glyndwr, the Welsh leader whose revolt spanned the early 15th century, though such place-name attributions often reflect later tradition rather than verified historical occupation.
The site remains an important monument to medieval fortification practice in Wales. Its survival as an earthwork, unexcavated and largely unmodified since the medieval period, preserves evidence of settlement hierarchy and defensive strategy during a significant period of Welsh history.
Owain Glyndwr's Mount is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME017. View the official record →
Owain Glyndwr's Mount is a medieval motte located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference ME017.
Owain Glyndwr's Mount dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a motte. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Owain Glyndwr's Mount 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 ME017.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tomen y Meirw (6.1 km), Pen-plaenau Roman marching camp (7 km), Pen-plaenau cairns and standing stone (7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Owain Glyndwr's Mount'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.
Owain Glyndwr's Mount stands on Ludlow Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ludlow. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.