Morganstown Castle Mound

Morganstown Castle Mound stands in the community of Morganstown, Cardiff, as a medieval motte. The large earthen mound rises four metres high with steep sides and a flat top fourteen metres across. A ditch six metres wide once surrounded the motte, protected by an outer bank one metre high. Archaeologists found a piece of French polychrome pottery on the site, suggesting medieval activity. The motte belongs to a group of similar mottes in north Cardiff, including Treoda and Twmpath. The mound is recognised as a scheduled monument of national importance. Cadw describes it as well preserved and rich in archaeological potential. Experts believe the motte was built between the late 11th and early 12th centuries. The site retains traces of medieval defensive structures, either timber or stone. The scheduled area covers the mound and surrounding land where further evidence may survive. Today the site is overgrown with trees and shrubs, giving it a quiet, natural feel. The flat top offers a small space to stand and imagine the former tower that once stood there. Visitors can walk around the base and see the remains of the ditch and outer bank. The surrounding landscape still shows the medieval pattern of mottes and earthworks.