Castle Bryn Amlwg

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Amting; Bryn Amlwc; Bettws y Crwyn; Cefn Fron; ?Ruffin; ?Hithoet

In the civil parish of Bettws y Crwyn.
In the historic county of Shropshire (Modern Authority of Shropshire, 1974 county of Shropshire).

Earthwork remains of a Medieval castle. Excavations in 1963 suggested five phases of construction and use: Phase 1 - a ringwork, possibly of early C12 date; Phase 2 - a stone castle, begun circa 1225-1250, but possibly earlier; Phases 3 (1250-1272), 4 & 5 (1272-1377) represent further elaboration of the stone castle. Apart from a few fragments of walling on the face of the gateway, no masonry from the castle survives. The site comprises a central mound surrounded by a ditch and outer bank. Some damage has been caused by modern quarrying. The site occupies a knoll overlooking a northeast-southwest valley which marks the England-Wales boundary. The name has not been encountered in documents prior to the reign of Elizabeth I. The modern name, in use locally, is Castle Cefn Fron. Paul Remfry informs me this is the probably site of Castle Hithoet mentioned in contemporary documents.

This site has been described as a;
Timber Castle
Masonry Castle.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Earthworks remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SO16748460

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 104724

Books

Salter, Mike, 2001 (2edn), The Castles and Moated Mansions of Shropshire (Malvern) p30
Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge) p219 [slight]
Jackson, M.J.,1988, Castles of Shropshire (Shrewsbury: Shropshire Libraries) p10-11
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p420, 434, 565 [Bettws y Crwyn no2]
Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p196
Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
Wall [after Downham], 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Shropshire Vol1 p383
Mackenzie, J.D., 1897, Castles of England (Heinemann) Vol2 p565

Journal Articles

Alcock and others, 1967-8, Montgomeryshire Collections Vol60 p8-27
Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
King, D.J.C. and Alcock, L., 1969, 'Ringworks in England and Wales' Château Gaillard Vol3 p90-127
Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1963, 'Early castles in Wales and the Marches: a preliminary list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol112 p77-124
Spurgeon, 1962, Programme of Camb. Arch. Ass. meeting Vol12 p14-15
Renn, D.F., 1959, 'Mottes: a classification' Antiquity Vol33 p106-12
Noble, F., 1956, Transactions of the Radnorshire Society Vol26 p34-9
Chitty, L.F., 1927-8, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol44 p6
1916-17, Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol6 p129

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