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Pain's Castle is a motte and bailey fortification located in Radnorshire, Wales, and represents an important example of Norman military architecture in the Welsh borderlands. The castle was established in the late twelfth century, likely by Payn FitzJohn, a Norman lord with significant holdings in the region, though the site may have origins in earlier defensive works. The monument comprises a substantial motte with bailey earthworks that command views of the surrounding landscape, characteristic of motte and bailey design employed during the period of Anglo-Norman expansion into Wales. The castle was abandoned by the early thirteenth century, and today the earthwork remains survive as a scheduled ancient monument, preserving evidence of this significant phase of medieval defensive construction.
Pain's Castle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD006. View the official record →
Pain's Castle is a motte and bailey fortification located in Radnorshire, Wales, and represents an important example of Norman military architecture in the Welsh borderlands. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD006.
Pain's 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.
Pain's 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 RD006.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Glasbury Old Church (7.3 km), Boughrood Castle (7.8 km), Coed y Polyn round barrow (8 km).
Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.
Research the area around Pain's Castle