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Ystradowen Castle Mound is a medieval motte constructed on bedrock comprising Dinantian limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous strata. The mound rises from the Mississippian geology of south Wales, where the underlying calcareous rock would have provided both stable foundation and accessible building stone for medieval fortification. As a motte, the site represents the characteristic Norman castle form deployed across Wales during the medieval period, consisting of an earthen mound that would have supported a wooden or stone palisade and central tower or keep.
The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, under reference GM228. Its survival as an earthwork reflects the defensive strategy of Norman settlement in the Welsh landscape, where such mottes were established to control territory and local routes. The site's position reflects medieval settlement patterns in the region, with the underlying geology providing practical advantages for construction in an age when stone fortifications required quarried material and stable ground conditions.
Ystradowen Castle Mound is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM228. View the official record →
Ystradowen Castle Mound is a medieval motte constructed on bedrock comprising Dinantian limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous strata. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM228.
Ystradowen 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.
Ystradowen 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 GM228.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Round Barrow Cairn, 340m west of The Parwg (9.2 km), Deserted Medieval Village North East of Rock Farm (9.5 km), West Orchard Manor House (9.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Ystradowen 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.
Ystradowen Castle Mound stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.