Site Record

NPRN303419

Map ReferenceSH93NW

Grid ReferenceSH9280536091

Unitary (Local) AuthorityGwynedd

Old CountyMerioneth

CommunityBala

Type Of SiteMOTTE

PeriodMedieval

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Description

NAR SH93NW2

A medieval castle mound, one of the largest in Wales, later adapted as a garden feature with a spiral pathway to the summit.
This is a steep sided circular mound, about 40m in diameter and 8.0m high, with a level summit some 16.5m across. This would originally have had timber breastworks and perhaps a high timber tower. The mound would have been ditched about. It is not known whether there were any other fortifications.
The castle can be associated with a manor or llys, a princely court, the head place of Penllyn commote. Its conquest is recorded in 1202 and it may have remained active into the thirteenth century. Edward I was present at Bala in 1284. In about 1310 a borough was laid out south-west of the mount (NPRN 58040/33151). In the early fifteenth century a garrison was present in the town with no mention of the castle.

Source: History of Merioneth II (2001), 410, 231-2

John Wiles 09.07.07

Resources

DownloadTypeSourceDescriptionapplication/pdfCA - Cotswold Archaeology Projects ArchiveDigital copy of archive report site location relating to Watching Brief at Tomen-y-Bala, Gwynedd. Produced by Cotswold Archaeology, Project No. 3249; Site Code BAG10.application/vnd.ms-excelGATP - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Projects ArchiveExcel document recording details of archive deposition relating to full archaeological watching brief report with appendices, project no. G2573, 'Gwynle, Y Bala,' conducted by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. Form compiled on 5th November 2018.application/vnd.ms-excelGATP - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Projects ArchiveExcel document recording details of archive deposition relating to final archaeological watching brief report text, project no. G2573, 'Gwynle, Y Bala,' conducted by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. Form compiled on 5th November 2018.application/vnd.ms-excelGATP - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Projects ArchiveExcel document recording details of archive deposition relating to archaeological watching brief, project no. G2573, 'Gwynle, Y Bala,' conducted by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust, 2018.application/pdfCA - Cotswold Archaeology Projects ArchiveDigital copy of archive report site location plan relating to Watching Brief at Tomen-y-Bala, Gwynedd. Produced by Cotswold Archaeology, Project No. 3249; Site Code BAG10.application/pdfGATP - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Projects ArchiveGwynedd Archaeological Trust report entitled 'Gwynle, Y Bala, Gwynedd: Archaeological Watching Brief' by Robert Evans and John Roberts. Prepared for Iwan Morris, September 2018. Project no. G2573; Report no. 1442.application/vnd.ms-excelGATP - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Projects ArchiveExcel document recording details of archive deposition relating to digital photographs taken as part of archaeological watching brief, project no. G2573, 'Gwynle, Y Bala,' conducted by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. Form compiled on 5th November 2018.application/pdfCA - Cotswold Archaeology Projects ArchiveDigital copy of archive report constraints plan relating to Watching Brief at Tomen-y-Bala, Gwynedd. Produced by Cotswold Archaeology, Project No. 3249; Site Code BAG10.application/vnd.ms-excelGATP - Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Projects ArchiveExcel document recording details of archive deposition relating to digital photograph metadata for archaeological watching brief, project no. G2573, 'Gwynle, Y Bala,' conducted by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. Form compiled on 5th November 2018.application/pdfCA - Cotswold Archaeology Projects ArchiveDigital watching brief of Former Gas Works, Mount Street, Bala. Produced in 2015 by Cotswold Archaeology: Project No: 3640, Report No: 12043.application/pdfCA - Cotswold Archaeology Projects ArchiveDigital copy of archive report outline improvement plan relating to Watching Brief at Tomen-y-Bala, Gwynedd. Produced by Cotswold Archaeology, Project No. 3249; Site Code BAG10.