NAR SH54SW4

A medieval castle mount thought to have been associated with a llys, a princely court.
This is a steep sided roughly circular mound, roughly 40m across and 6.5m high. The 12.5-14.5m diameter summit is dished within a slighly raised bank. There is a broad ditch on the west of the mound which is otherwise encroached upon and multilated by the outbuildings of the Plas on the north and east.
With the exception of the thirteenth century castle of Criccieth this is the only castle site in Eifionydd cantref. It is possible that Plas Dolbenmaen, recorded in 1662, at the foot of the mound, stands on the site of a medieval house. St Mary's church (NPRN 43776)could have originated as a chapel attached to a llys. There are several instances in north Wales of castle mounds associated with apparently unfortified houses, for example Aber (NPRN 95692), also in Caernarvonshire, and Castell Prysor (NPRN 308964), Crogen (NPRN 306558) and Rug (NPRN 306598) in Merioneth.

Source: RCAHMW Caernarvonshire Inventory II (1960), 74 No. 916

John Wiles 13.07.07