Prestatyn Castle

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

Occupies a low-lying position, but still commands a view across much of the flat coastal plain. It consists of the remains of a motte c.20m in diameter with surrounding ditch, and a bailey which, unusually, encloses the whole of the motte. Excavation in about 1913 revealed a substantial stone wall 1.2m thick surrounding the bailey, inside its ditch, but no trace of a structure on the motte. A slightly raised causeway approaches from the south, but no detail is now visible where it meets the bailey; there is no obvious entrance gap in the motte ditch. Probably built by the Norman Robert de Banastre about 1164, and was destroyed by the resurgent Welsh under Owain Gwynedd in 1167.

This site has been described as a;
Masonry Castle
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.
This site is a Not known if listed listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ07238331

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; 92922

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 102226

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/prestyn.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/116/prestatyncastle.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p80
    Reid, Alan, 1998, Castles of Wales (John Jones Publishing) p122, 124
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p76
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p154
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p374
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    Neaverson, E., 1947, Mediaeval Castles in North Wales: A study of Sites, Water Supply, and Building Stones (London) p22-3
    Lowe, W.Bezant, 1927, The Heart of North Wales (Llanfairfechan) Vol2 p187
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p270
    RCAHMW, 1912, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Flintshire (HMSO) p79
• Journal Articles
  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol116 p71-132
    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
    1913, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser6] Vol13 p350