Hendre Isaf Motte, Llangernyw (The Gatehouse Record)

Hendre Isaf Motte, Llangernyw

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Domen Pentre Isaf; Llangerniew

In the community of Llangernyw.
In the historic county of Denbighshire.
Modern authority of Conwy.
Preserved county of Clwyd.

OS Map Grid Reference: SH87426882
Latitude 53.20443° Longitude -3.68708°

Hendre Isaf Motte, Llangernyw has been described as a certain Timber Castle.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period. The stone and earthen built motte is located at the edge of a gravel terrace on the W bank of the River Elwy. The motte survives as a tall and irregular shaped mound and measures c. 6.5m in height from its top to the bottom of the ditch. The motte measures c. 50m N-S by 40m transversely and is encircled by a dry moat, measuring c. 10m in width. Source: Cadw scheduling description. F.Foster/RCAHMW 30.03.2007 (Coflein)

Irregular mound much over grown and eroded 7m high. Surrounded on all but the eastern side by a broad dry ditch 12m wide and 2m deep. No trace of bailey although the farm to the east may have destroyed it. (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

Controlling the route up the Afon Elwy the castle consists of what is probably a largely natural mound on the edge of the river plain scarped into a motte. Once more this fortress has no known history and it could well be another one of the castles built by Robert Rhuddlan to protect his lands in North Wales before his death in 1093 and the destruction of nearly all the castle of Wales during 1094. (Remfry 2016)

The monument, also known as Y Domen or Domen Pentre Isaf, comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). The stone and earthen built motte is located at the edge of a gravel terrace on the W bank of the River Elwy. The motte survives as a tall and irregular shaped mound, and measures c. 6.5m in height from its top to the bottom of the ditch. Buildings belonging to Hendre-Isaf farm have encroached onto the E side of the motte, giving the motte an oval shape on plan. The motte measures c. 50m N-S by 40m transversely. The motte is encircled by a dry moat, measuring c. 10m in width. (Scheduling Report)

Comments

Suggested as a native welsh castle.

Sources of information, references and further reading

The CADW scheduled monument record number is DE077.
The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 303368.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 100429.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Paul Remfry, 2016, The Early Castles of Gwynedd and Pentre Isaf Castle
Books
- Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 237 (listed)
  Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 69
  Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p. 87 (slight)
  Manley, J., Grenter, S. and Gale, F., 1991, The Archaeology of Clwyd
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 104
  Davies, E., 1929, The Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Denbighshire (Cardiff)
  RCAHMW, 1914, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Denbighshire (HMSO) p. 115 no. 404 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 112 p. 77-124

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other individuals and organisations. It may also contain Designated Historic Asset Descriptive Information from The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), licensed under the Open Government Licence. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes.
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The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

Suggestions for finding online and/or hard copies of bibliographical sources can be seen at this link.
Minor archaeological investigations, such as watching brief reports, and some other 'grey' literature is most likely to be held by H.E.R.s but is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded here, or elsewhere, but some suggestions can be found here.

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This record last updated 06/07/2016 16:34:01

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