Tomen y Mur, Maentwrog

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Mur Castell; Heririmons

In the community of Maentwrog. In the historic county of Merioneth (Modern authority of Gwynedd, preserved county of Gwynedd).

Conical motte, of about 1090, lies within a Roman fort. Sub-circular mound c36m diameter at base. Overlies reduced Roman rampart, immediately to NW of headquarters building. Site of historic importance to the Welsh and associated with a Welsh legend.
The medieval motte or castle mound at Tomen-y-Mur ('the mound on the wall'), is a dramatically mutilated mound set over the north-west gate of the reduced Roman fort (NPRN 95476). It is identified as a medieval castle mound, although documentary evidence is lacking. References to the site seem to relate to the fort in general. The earlier name was Mur Castell. This may have been the site of a medieval llys or princely court. The tomen is a near-circular steep-sided mound, about 36m in diameter and 6.5m high. The 16m diameter summit has been disturbed in the past. An embanked ditch runs around the foot of the mound. It is built of stone blocks taken from the fort ruins and may conceal a standing Roman gate. The Roman fort circuit appears to have been refortified. Pennant observed ruins of a wall atop the bank in the late eighteenth century. (Coflein)

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SH70543866

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's National Monument Record (Coflein) number is 95478
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 5099 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.castlewales.com/mur.html
• Books
  • Morgan, Gerald, 2008, Castles in Wales: A Handbook (Talybont: Y Lolfa Cyf.) p167-8
    Pettifer, Adrian, 2000, Welsh Castles, A Guide by Counties (Boydell Press) p119-20
    Salter, Mike, 1997, The Castles of North Wales (Malvern) p49 [slight]
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p277
    Avent, Richard, 1983, Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd (Cardiff)
    Fry, P.S., 1980, Castles of the British Isles (David and Charles) p381
    Renn, D.F., 1973 (2edn), Norman Castles of Britain (John Baker)
    RCAHMW, 1921, An inventory of the Ancient Monuments of Merionethshire (HMSO) p151-3
    Armitage, Ella, 1912, The Early Norman Castles of the British Isles (London: John Murray) p261-2
• 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
    Hemp, W.J., 1949, ‘Tomen-y-Mur. The motte’, Ninety-Sixth Annual Meeting: Programme, 1949, CAA p22-3
    Hemp, W.J., 1949-9, Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol100 p312
    Gresham, C.A., 1938, 'The Roman fort at Tomen-Y-Mur' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol93 p192-211
    Grover, J.W., 1871, 'Heririmons, or Castell Tomen-y-Mur' Journal of the British Archaeological Association Vol27 p277-81 http://www.archive.org/stream/journalofbritish27brit#page/n316/mode/1up