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Trefecca Castle Mound is a medieval motte, a fortified earthwork characteristic of the Norman period in Wales. The mound rises from bedrock comprising Pridoli rocks—a geologically ancient foundation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Pridoli epoch. This geology would have presented both opportunity and challenge to its medieval builders: the varied sedimentary layers offered reasonable stability for the substantial earthwork, though the softer mudstone and siltstone components required careful construction to prevent subsidence and erosion. The motte's position in the Welsh landscape reflects the strategic military preoccupations of the medieval period, when such mounds served as defensive strongholds and territorial markers. The monument is protected under Cadw's guardianship as reference BR083, recognising its significance as a rare and well-preserved example of early medieval military architecture. The survival of the mound's profile provides valuable evidence of castle design and landscape management during the medieval period.
Trefecca Castle Mound is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR083. View the official record →
Trefecca Castle Mound is a medieval motte, a fortified earthwork characteristic of the Norman period in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR083.
Trefecca 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.
Trefecca 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 BR083.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Enclosure W of Allt yr Esgair (8.3 km), Cefn Moel Round Barrows (8.7 km), Ffynnon Las Round Cairn I (8.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Trefecca 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.
Trefecca Castle Mound stands on Pridoli Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Pridoli. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.