Aberffraw llys and motte

In the community of Aberffraw.
In the historic county of Anglesey (Modern authority of Anglesey, preserved county of Gwynedd).

Excavation, 1973-4 (White 1979) and 1979, with further work 1987-8 (White and Longley 1995), appeared to demonstrate the presence of a two-phase, round-angled, rectangular enclosure, at least 70m NNE-SSW, thought to represent a Roman military work, refurnished in the early medieval period as a llys (Princely court) enclosure; although a radio-carbon date centring on the period 27-387AD, appears to support this thesis, the identification of a Roman work is currently out of favour: the site of the llys, whose (partial?) dismantling is recorded in 1317, is regarded as uncertain (see Johnstone 1997, 63; Longley 1997, 45): two sculptured heads, of apparent C13 style, are known from the village (White 1978): the putative curving angle of the enclosure has been suggested to hint at the former presence of a motte: excavations at the traditional site of the llys, about 650m to the WSW, recorded only C18 remains.

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

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SH35456894

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; 401126, 400058

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 1785