Welsh Journals

The Mediaeval Castles of North Montgomeryshire A Topographical Survey. ROBERT RICHARDS, M.P., F.S.A. I. Anyone acquainted with the foothills of the Berwyn, amongst which the valleys of the Tanat, the Cain and the Cynllaith nestle, must often have expressed surprise at the number of mediaeval castles that are scattered about this somewhat restricted area. Indeed, it is doubtful, whether over a similarly limited territory an equal number of castles can be found anywhere in North Wales or the Border. The area occupied by these castles forms an irregular quadrilateral, extending on its northern side from Tomen Cefn Coch in the North West to Sycharth in the North East, a distance of some 6-1 miles, and on its southern side from Tomen Cefnlloer to Y Domen Gastell, a distance of some 42 -1 miles. The distances across, north to south, from Tomen Cefn Coch to Domen Cefn- lloer is roughly 3 miles and from Sycharth to Domen Gastell 4 miles. We have thus a territory roughly quadrilateral in shape measuring 61 2 miles at its upper end, and 4A at its lower, 4-1 2 miles on the right hand side and 3 on the left enclosing an area of roughly 20 square miles. Within the area are the remains of no less than eight castellated mounds, all, with one exception, being very well preserved. The following is a list of them: Tomen Cefn Coch, Tomen Trefeilw, Sycharth, Castell Moch, Tomen y Maerdy, Y Domen Gastell, Tomen yr Allt and Tomen Cefnlloer-all of which are included in the three valleys already mentioned. The two valleys of the Cain and the Tanat run more or less parallel, the rivers flowing in an easterly direction to unite with the Vyrnwy in the neighbourhood of Llansantffraid ym Mechain. The Cynllaith on the other hand flows, roughly speaking, north and south, joining the Tanat at a point about a mile above the place where that river makes the remarkable detour in its course which brings it within the ambit of the captivating influence of its neighbour the Vyrnwy­an excellent instance of river capture.