Overton Castle

Description

There is a lot of documentary evidence for Overton Castle. It is mentioned in 1138 and stood on the banks of the Dee. The RCAHM inteprets Lelands description as being near Asney Cottage but no trace.
Spurgeon considers Overton Castle to have probably been a motte (Manley, J, Grenter, S & Gale, F, 1991, pp171). (Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust HER)

Site of castle mentioned 1138, 1153, 1168, 1201. King writes this was a "stone castle. English built, later Welsh. May have been motte and bailey. Half swept away by Dee in Lelands's time."

The site of Overton Castle can be determined approximately with almost perfect certainty. On the 28th June, 1292, Edward I granted to Thomas le Taverner a plot of land at Overton (Calendar, Charter Rolls, ii, 422). The southern boundary of this property was the street leading to the gate of the castle of Overton, by which was doubtless indicated the old road, now partly closed, leading from Overton past Maes gwaelod to Asney and the river Dee. Leland says : “ There was a praty Pile or Castel at Oureton yn auncient tyme, the which was throun downe by the violence of Dee ryver chaunging his botom. For of olde tyme Dee ran half a mile from the Castel yn a place of the valley caullid Whistan, where now is woode and ploughid grounde right agayne Oureton . . . . one parte of the Diches and Hille of the Castel yet remaynith ; the residew is in the botom of Dee.” It would thus appear that part of the ditches and hill of the castle remained on the bank of the Dee at a place called ‘ Whistan,’ which seems to be identical with Asney. A small area on the bank of the Dee (including Asney Cottage, but not Asney Farm) was, until a few years ago, a detached part of Overton Villa, completely surrounded by Overton Foreign, and it shared in the immunities of the borough of Overton, probably because the lord’s castle, and perhaps his mill, were situated therein. The river at this point is still eating away the right bank. A road (now closed at the Overton end) proceeds a little further north on the left to Dutford, one of the old fords over the Dee, and on the right to Asney Farm. Two old buildings near, and the foundations of a hay barn at Maes gwaelod, together with a wall there, contain wrought stones which may have been brought from an earlier edifice, perhaps from the ruins of Overton Castle. It is clear, therefore, that the site of that castle is now at the bottom of the Dee behind Asney Cottage (6 in. Ord. Surv. sheet, Flint. 22 S.W .; lat. 52° 59' 3', long. 2° 57' 28"). (RCAHMW 1912)

Comments

The supposed location is not entirely convincing as this doesn't appear to the the medieval crossing point of the Dee. See also Cae Whisken placename which is arguably a more likely position for the castle.