Mount Cop Castle Mound

Castell Cop is a medieval earthwork mound near Hanmer in Wrexham County Borough. Built between the late 11th and mid-12th centuries, it lacks the usual defensive bank and ditch enclosure called a bailey. Like many such mounds in Wales, it was constructed from soil and stone with a surrounding ditch. The Normans introduced this style of fortification to Britain from France, and the Welsh soon adopted it. Cadw, Wales’s historic environment service, recognises Castell Cop as a scheduled monument under reference FL099. The borderlands between England and Wales contain the largest concentration of these mounds in Britain. The mound stands in open countryside near Hanmer, offering quiet views across farmland. A short walk leads to the grassy summit, where the earthworks remain clearly visible. The site is peaceful, with few visitors, and the surrounding fields stretch out in all directions.