Mold; The Bailey Hill

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Montalt; Mohaut; Monhalt; Mouhaut; Montalto; Gwyddgrug; Guiddgrug; Yr Wyddgrug; Wydrug; Wyrebruch

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

Fine motte and bailey.Possible had shell keep. Mentioned often between 1167 and 1244. However in Masonry Castle Hogg and King write C13 references to Gwyddgrug (Wydrug; Wyrebruch) refer to Nantcribba SJ237014. An earthwork castle, set upon and formed from a natural hillock. On the N is a motte, c.57-62m in diameter and 10-14m high with a c.20m diameter summit upon which traces of masonry have been noted. To the S are two rectilinear enclosures, defined by c.10m scarps, c.64m N-S by 52m and c.32m NNE-SSW by 30m, respectively. A counterscarp survives only on the NW. Used as a recreation garden since 1792, site altered by construction of a bowling green, tennis courts and a Gorsedd circle.

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.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SJ23546438

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; 307119, 307163

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 100078

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/mold.html
    http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_wales/117/moldcastle.htm
• Books
  • Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p76
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p76
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p154, Vol2 p563
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p365
    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) p18
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p260
    RCAHMW, 1912, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Flintshire (HMSO) p63
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol3 (London) p417
• 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
    1921, Archaeologia Cambrensis [ser7] Vol1 p352-3
    Maxwell, 1843, Trans. Cymmrodorion Vol2 pt4 p375-9
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#flint6]