Cadwgan Castle

Cadwgan Castle stands on a low grassy mound in Esclusham, Wrexham County Borough. It is a medieval earthwork built between the late 11th and mid-12th centuries from soil and stone. No stone walls or defensive bailey survive, only the raised platform and its surrounding ditch. The Normans introduced this style of fortification to Britain, and Welsh rulers soon adopted it. Cadwgan Castle is one of many such mounds scattered across the Welsh Marches. This type of castle is known as a motte, and Cadwgan’s is recognised by Cadw, Wales’s historic environment service. It carries the SAM number DE131, placing it among the protected sites of the region. The Welsh Marches—Shropshire, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Powys and Flintshire—contain the greatest concentration of these mounds in Britain. Their simple design made them quick to build and easy to defend. Visitors reach the mound by a short farm track near Y Bers. The earthworks rise gently above the surrounding fields, offering wide views over the Dee Valley. Wildflowers grow on the slopes in summer, and sheep graze the summit. The site is quiet, with only the sound of wind and distant traffic. Standing on the mound, it is easy to imagine the wooden tower that once crowned the mound eight centuries ago.