Aberffraw llys and motte (The Gatehouse Record)

Aberffraw llys and motte

In the community of Aberffraw.
In the historic county of Anglesey.
Modern authority of Anglesey.
Preserved county of Gwynedd.

OS Map Grid Reference: SH35456894
Latitude 53.19187° Longitude -4.46445°

Aberffraw llys and motte has been described as a probable Timber Castle, and also as a probable Palace.

There are earthwork remains.

Description

The probable site of a medieval llys, a princely court partly dismantled in 1317. Excavation, 1973-4 (White 1979) & 1979, with further work 1987-8 (White & Longley 1995), recorded part of a rectilinear enclosure with at least one rounded corner. Its ditch had been recut on at least one occasion. It was traced for 70m north-north-east to south-south-west. Intially thought to represent a Roman military work, refurnished in the early medieval period. The apparently curving corner has suggested the presence of a castle mound (see NPRN 400058). This overall interpretation is supported by a radio-carbon determination of about 27-387AD, however scarsity of Roman material, limited to a single scrap of samian and some uncertain sherds, counts against the presence of a fort. It is possible that this was the site of a later Prehistoric style settlement occupied in the Roman period. The site of the llys is otherwise uncertain (see Johnstone 1997, 63; Longley 1997, 45). Two possibly thirteenth century sculptured heads are known from the village (White 1978). Excavations at the traditional site of the llys, about 650m to the west-south-west recorded only C18 remains (see NPRN 15012/401125). (Coflein–John Wiles 12.07.07)

Sources of information, references and further reading

The National Monument Record (Coflein) number(s) for this site is/are 401126; 400058.
The County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) for this site is/are 1785.

Books
- Longley, David, 2009, 'Gwynedd Before and After the Conquest' in Willams, D. and Kenyon, J. (eds), The Impact of the Edwardian Castles in Wales (Oxbow) p. 16-26
  Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p. 251 (listed as possible)
  Johnstone, 1997, in Edwards, N. (ed), 1997, Landscape and Settlement in Medieval Wales (Oxford: Oxbow Monograph no. 81) p. 54-69
  Longley, 1997, in Edwards, N. (ed), 1997, Landscape and Settlement in Medieval Wales (Oxford: Oxbow Monograph no. 81) p. 41-54
  RCAHMW, 1937, An inventory of the ancient monuments in Anglesey (HMSO) p. 2 no. 8 online copy
  Lewis, Samual, 1849, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales online copy
Periodical Articles
- White and Longley, 1995, Transactions of the Anglesey Antiquarian Society p. 13-21
  White, 1979, Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies Vol. 28.2 p. 319-42
  White, 1977, 'Sculptured stones from Aberffraw, Anglesey' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 126 p140-5
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- William Camden, 1607, Britannia hypertext critical edition by Dana F. Sutton (2004)

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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 02/07/2016 07:25:30

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