ME054

Domen Ddreiniog  

 

Designated  

Gwynedd  

Llanegryn  

259692  

303612  

Defence  

Motte  

Medieval  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument comprises the remains of a motte and ditch, dating to the medieval period (c. 1066 -1540 AD). A motte is a large conical or pyramidal mound of soil and/or stone, usually surrounded by either a wet or dry ditch, and surmounted by a tower constructed of timber or stone. Domen Ddreiniog, also known as Tal-y-bont, lies on the west bank of the river Dysynni near what was historically its lowest crossing point. The motte measures c.34m in diameter and stands c.7m high above the base of the ditch, with a summit c.15m in diameter. The ditch has been reduced by past cultivation but now appears as a hollow c.0.8m deep and c.10m wide, running out on the slope towards the river. Llewelyn ap Gruffydd addressed a letter from the site in 1275, and Edward I was there in 1295. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval defensive practices. The monument is well-preserved and an important relic of the medieval landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both structural evidence and intact associated deposits. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.