Holywell Castle Mound

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Treffynnon; Bryn y Castell; Treffynnawn; Basingwerk; Dinas Bassing

In the community of Holywell.
In the historic county of Flintshire (Modern authority of Flintshire, preserved county of Clwyd).

Much overgrown mound 9measuring 20m (E-W) by 15m and 2.5m high, strongly sited on promontory east of church. Burnt by Earl of Chester in 1209. Cottages were removed from the site about 1900. Identified with the castle built at "Treffynnawn" in 1210. Also identified with Basingwork castle built 1157 and destroyed 1166 but King dismisses this and identifies either Hen Blas of Bryn Castell.

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 SJ18577630

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; 300557

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 102418

Web site links
- http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/116/holywellcastle.htm
Books
- Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p80
  Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p87 [slight]
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p153, 155
  Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p358-9
  Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
  RCAHMW, 1912, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Flintshire (HMSO) p43
  Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p267
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

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The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other indivduals and organisations.

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This record last updated on Saturday, January 20, 2007

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