Tomen y Faerdre, Llanarmon yn ial

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Yale; Tomen y Vardra

In the community of Llanarmon yn ial.
In the historic county of Denbighshire (Modern authority of Denbighshire, preserved county of Clwyd).

Impressive motte, 6m high on the east and 25m across the summit. It sits on a natural rock outcrop, forming a cliff above the river Alyn on its west. An artificial ditch runs around its remaining sides, tapering down towards the stream on the south, but ending in mid-air above the crag on the north. There is no trace of a bailey. Possibly C11 in origin and like Tomen y Rhodwydd was refortified by King John in 1212 against Llywelyn ap Iorwerth, when the rock-cut ditch was either dug or enlarged. The name suggests a commotal centre, as does the proximity of St Garmon's church, across the river. It is thought that the entry in the Pipe Roll for 1212-13, "For iron mallets for breaking the rocks in the ditch of the castle of Yale", refers to this site (Pratt 1978, 132).

This site has been described as a;
Timber 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 SJ19325615

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Monuments Record number; 306839

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 100888

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/faerdre.html
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p68
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p86
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p104
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Lowe, W.Bezant, 1927, The Heart of North Wales (Llanfairfechan) Vol2 p227
    RCAHMW, 1914, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Denbighshire (HMSO) p82-3 no264
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p271-2, 300
• Journal Articles
  • 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
    Brown, R, Allen, 1959, 'A List of Castles, 1154–1216' English Historical Review Vol74 [Reprinted in Brown, R. Allen, 1989, Castles, conquest and charters: collected papers (Woodbridge: Boydell Press)] pp90-121
    Davies, 1931-3, Llandudno Field Club Vol17 p21-3
    Lloyd, 1921, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser7] Vol1 p344-6