Tomen y Rhodwydd, Llandegla (The Gatehouse Record)

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Castell y Rhodwydd; Buddugre; Llanarmon yn Ial; Yale; Castle in Ial; Castell yr Adwy

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

OS Map Grid Reference: SJ17695161
Latitude 53.05535° Longitude -3.22930°

Tomen y Rhodwydd, Llandegla has been described as a certain Timber Castle.

There are earthwork remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

Description

Motte, 20m across the top, is surrounded on the north and west by a dramatic ditch and outer bank. It stands 7.8m above base of the ditch and 4.9m above the bailey to its south-east, with only a slight hollow between the two. The bailey measures about 40m across internally; no visible traces of buildings remain. Its undulating bank stands about 1-1.5m above the interior, and 4-5m above the base of the ditch, which joins the motte ditch on the south and surrounds the bailey except for a causeway at the northernmost corner beside the motte. An outer bank, possibly built of spoil from the ditches, survives on the south, although the site has been damaged by the road on this side. Built in 1149 by Owain Gwynedd. The castle was taken in 1157 by Iorwerth Goch ap Maredudd of Powys and burnt, although like Tomen y Faerdre, it was restored and ditched by the English forces during King John's 1212 campaign. (Derived from Pratt, 1978)

A ditched motte, c.38-42m in diameter and 4.9-7.8m high, stands on the NE of a crescentic bailey, c.57m E-W by 46m, defined by a bank and ditch. There is a continuous counterscarp about both motte and bailey, the work occupying an area, c.118m by 90m. The castle's construction is recorded in 1149 and its destruction in 1157. (Coflein–J.Wiles 22.10.02)

The monument comprises the remains of a motte and bailey castle, lying at the head of the Nant y Garth Pass, southwest of the village of Llandegla. The ditched motte lies to the northeast, and stands between 38-42m in diameter and between 4.9 and 7.8m high. The crescentic bailey is approximately 57m from east to west by 46m, and is defined by a bank and ditch. There is a continuous counterscarp around both the motte and the bailey. The castle’s construction is recorded in AD1149, and its destruction in 1157. (Scheduling Report)

Sources of information, references and further reading

The CADW scheduled monument record number is DE018.
The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 94737.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 100932.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Jeff Thomas's Castles of Wales
  CastleUK
  Ein Treftadaeth Our Heritage
  Wicipedia
Books
- Kenyon, John, 2010, The Medieval Castles of Wales (University of Wales Press) p. 52
  Butler, L., 2009, 'The Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd' in Willams, D. and Kenyon, J. (eds), The Impact of the Edwardian Castles in Wales (Oxbow) p. 27-36
  Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 116-7
  Davis, Paul R., 2007, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Y Lolfa) p. 66
  Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p. 69
  Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p. 86
  Burnham, H., 1995, A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Clwyd and Powys (Cadw, London)
  Higham, R. and Barker, P., 1992, Timber Castles (Batsford) p. 216-7
  Davis, Paul R., 1988, Castles of the Welsh Princes (Swansea)
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 104
  Avent, Richard, 1983, Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd (Cardiff)
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2 edn.), Norman Castles of Britain (London: John Baker) p. 324
  Lowe, W.Bezant, 1927, The Heart of North Wales (Llanfairfechan) Vol. 2 p. 227
  RCAHMW, 1914, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Denbighshire (HMSO) p. 83 no. 265 online copy
  Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p. 271-2, 300, 388-9 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Kenyon, John R., 1996, 'Fluctuating Frontiers: Normanno-Welsh Castle Warfare c. 1075 to 1240' Château Gaillard Vol. 17 p. 119-126
  Avent, Richard, 1994, 'Castles of the Welsh Princes' Château Gaillard Vol. 16 p. 11-17
  Pratt, D., 1978. ‘Tomen y Rhodwydd’ Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 127 p. 130-2
  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
  1960, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 109 p. 197-8
  Lloyd, 1935, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 90 p. 322-3
  Davies, 1931-3, Llandudno Field Club Vol. 17 p. 23
  1926, Journal of the British Archaeological Association (new ser) Vol. 32 p. 78-9
  Lloyd, 1921, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 76 p. 342-3
  Clark, G.T., 1889, 'Contribution towards a complete list of moated mounds or burhs' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 46 p. 197-217 esp. 217 online copy
  Lloyd, John, 1851, ‘Letters from and to Edward Lhwyd. (from the collection of W W E Wynne)’ Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 6 p. 57 (antiquarian description) online copy
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete, particularly for the major royal castles and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Brut y Tywysogion 1149, 1157 (Several transcriptions and translations exist the best being Jones, T., 1952, Brut Y Twysogion (University of Wales, History and Law series 11)–based on the Peniarth MS 20 version. There is a flawed translation Williams ab Ithel, John, 1860, Brut Y Twysogion or The Chronicle of the Princes (Rolls Series) online copy)
  The Great Roll of the Pipe for the fourteenth year of the reign of King John,: Michaelmas 1212 (Pipe Roll Society 68) p. 90 (part of £7 3s. 7d. for iron and provisions)

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