Tomen y Rhodwydd Castle
near Llandegla, Denbighshire, north Wales
near Llandegla, Denbighshire, north Wales
Pratt 1978
omen Y Rhodwydd, built by Owain Gwynedd in 1149 in conjunction with his annexation of part of Powys, is a very fine motte and bailey castle, commanding wide views except to the north-east. The Nant y Garth Pass (now the A525), connecting the Clwyd and Alyn valleys south of the Clwydian Hills, and the Horseshoe Pass from the Dee valley, meet nearby. The castle was retaken 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.
The remains are mainly grass-covered. The motte, 20m across the top, is surrounded on the north and west by a dramatic ditch and outer bank. It stands 7.8m above the 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.
Return to Castle Index, Castle Database, or Castle Location Maps Return to main castle page menu 
