Caersws Castle

Caersws Castle stands on a grassy mound beside the River Severn in Powys, mid-Wales. It is a medieval motte-and-bailey earthwork built between 1000 and 1153. The site overlooks the village of Caersws and the busy A489 road below. A low ditch once surrounded the mound, forming an inner ward. The castle was one of many built along the Welsh Marches during the Norman advance. The mound is protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw, Wales’s historic environment service. Its reference number is MG017, showing it is officially recognised as an important archaeological site. The area around Caersws contains the largest concentration of such mottes in Britain. These earthworks stretch from Shropshire through Cheshire and Herefordshire into Powys and Flintshire. Visitors find a simple grassy hill with wide views over the Severn valley. The remains are quiet and open, with no stone walls left standing. Wildflowers grow on the slopes in summer. The site is easy to reach from the road and offers a clear picture of early castle building in Wales.