Prestatyn Castle
Encyclopedia
An earth mound, visible in fields to the south of the Prestatyn
railway station, near Nant Hall, marks the site of an early wooden motte and bailey castle
. Prestatyn Castle occupies a low-lying position, but still commands a view across much of the flat coastal plain and guarded the coast road between Rhuddlan and Chester. It consists of the remains of a motte c.20m in diameter with surrounding ditch, and a bailey which, unusually, encloses the whole of the motte. Excavation in about 1913 revealed a substantial stone wall 1.2m thick surrounding the bailey, inside its ditch, but no trace of a structure on the motte. A slightly raised causeway approaches from the south (away from the railway), but no detail is now visible where it meets the bailey; there is no obvious entrance gap in the motte ditch. A rubbing stone for animals on top of the motte is presumably modern.
King Henry II of England
granted Prestatyn to Robert de Robert Banastre in 1165. The castle was destroyed by Owain Gwynedd
in 1167. It does not appear to have been rebuilt, and the Banastre family fled to Lancashire where Robert held land under Henry de Lacy
.
Prestatyn
Prestatyn is a seaside resort, town and community in Denbighshire, North Wales. It is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. At the 2001 Census, Prestatyn had a population of 18,496.-Prehistory:...
railway station, near Nant Hall, marks the site of an early wooden motte and bailey castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. Prestatyn Castle occupies a low-lying position, but still commands a view across much of the flat coastal plain and guarded the coast road between Rhuddlan and Chester. It consists of the remains of a motte c.20m in diameter with surrounding ditch, and a bailey which, unusually, encloses the whole of the motte. Excavation in about 1913 revealed a substantial stone wall 1.2m thick surrounding the bailey, inside its ditch, but no trace of a structure on the motte. A slightly raised causeway approaches from the south (away from the railway), but no detail is now visible where it meets the bailey; there is no obvious entrance gap in the motte ditch. A rubbing stone for animals on top of the motte is presumably modern.
King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
granted Prestatyn to Robert de Robert Banastre in 1165. The castle was destroyed by Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
in 1167. It does not appear to have been rebuilt, and the Banastre family fled to Lancashire where Robert held land under Henry de Lacy
De Lacy
de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
.