Castell y Waun Motte, Chirk

Description

Chirk Motte is a circular flat-topped mound about 30m in diameter and 5.7m high, with no trace of a ditch. This is identified as a castle mound, specifically the Castell-y-Waun mentioned in 1165 and 1212. It is located in the planned borough of Chirk, occupying a prominent corner plot facing the church. The borough received its first charter in 1324 and can be associated with the later, greater castle 2km to the west. The mound was the central feature of the ornamental garden to the rear of The Mount, a mid eighteenth century house. As depicted on the Ordnance Survey County series 1st edition (Denbigh. XL.10 1872) the mound was set within what appears to be a subrectangular enclosure or platform, roughly 50m across. Other than this there are no traces of other castle earthworks. (Coflein)

Castle mound 5.7m high in use as an ornamental garden. There is no trace of a surrounding ditch or bailey. The mound is flat topped 22m in diameter mentioned in 1165-6 and 1212 pipe roll. (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and usually a ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). A motte is a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil and/or stone, usually surrounded by either a wet or dry ditch, and surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone. Chirk Motte is a circular flat-topped mound about 30m in diameter and 5.7m high, but with no trace of a ditch. This is identified as a castle mound, specifically the Castell-y-Waun mentioned in 1165 and 1212. It is located in the planned borough of Chirk, occupying a prominent corner plot facing the church. The borough received its first charter in 1324 and can be associated with the later, greater castle 2km to the west. The mound was the central feature of the ornamental garden to the rear of The Mount, a mid eighteenth century house. As depicted on the Ordnance Survey County series 1st edition (Denbigh. XL.10 1872) the mound was set within what appears to be a sub-rectangular enclosure or platform, roughly 50m across. Other than this there are no traces of other castle earthworks. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Motte, a circular, flat-topped mound, with no trace of a ditch or other dependant features, although it is likely these are lost rather than having never been present. Overlooking steep drop to Afon Ceiriog. South of Church and very overgrown. The river runs in a gorge here and the castle would have controlled one of the few crossing points of what would have been a strong natural barrier. Directly opposite, on the other, English side of the river, is St Martin's, Oaklands motte.