Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Llys Rhosyr, Site of, Newborough
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 899 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Rhosyr Unitary authority : Ynys Mon NGR : SH4192865359 Site Type (preferred type first) : MEDIEVAL LLYS Status : Scheduled Monument
Summary : Originally identified by the name of the field 'Cae Llys' (field of the court; palace field), Llys Rhosyr consists of the excavated remains of a Royal Welsh court of the Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd. It was the maerdref or manorial court of the administrative area of the Commote of Menai, a large area comprising the whole of the south-west corner of Anglesey. Documentary evidence for the site, including a reference to the signing of a charter by Llywelyn ap Iorwerth there in 1237, was also known. The location of the site was confirmed by trial excavation by Gwynedd Archaeological Trust in 1992 and this was followed by 3 further seasons of excavation uncovering an area some 60m by 60m and revealing a complex of stone foundations interpreted as a hall and chamber block.
Finds from the site included coinage of the 13th century, medieval pottery, an iron spur, knife and key and a ring brooch, also thought to be of 13th century date.
Description : With respect to the prince's palace, which the Royal Extent (the book of our records) repeatedly affirms to have formerly stood in this district, nothing now besides vestiges of the walls, lately uncovered by the sands, forming a square area, if one may measure a thing by its mere shadow, can be shewn; which place is, to this day, commonly called by the natives, Llys, i.e., the court. It is not far distant, too, on the south side, from the church of Newborough (which is dedicated to St. Peter); indeed, it nearly adjoins it; and, therefore, I think there can scarce be a doubt that this church was formerly used as a domestic chapel for those royal buildings, close to which it stood. And that such a chapel did adorn these buildings somewhere or other we read in the extent; and in what place, pray, is it more likely that these royal buildings should have had their chapel, than where the church now stands, which, when it had ceased to be domestic, forthwith became parochial, in which light it has long since been regarded? <1>
The map reproduced in H. Owens Hanes plwyf Niwbrorch has a field called '[something] Tan y Llys (this needs following up on tythe schedule). Rowlands account says not far distant on the south side? Therefore at present whole area around church should be seen as sensitive. T. Roberts UCNW thinks the elongated multi-period build of the church is a result of the combining/joining of the parish and court church and chapel and if proved has some documentary evidence to show the possibility. <5>
See excavation report Studia Celtica 2000
Description, plan and photographs of Llys Rhosyr, Newborough, Ynys Mon (Longley, 2013).
Plot of land adjoined to part of the Llys of Rhosyr was excavated by GAT. Excavations and stratigraphy showed stony ploughsoil and plough ridges with a layer of wind-blown sand. Originally suggested the site was part of the quillet strips of the medieval open field systems.Buried ploughsoil thought to be medieval date, however, there was a lack of firm evidence. Furrows matched the orientations of the quillets. (Smith 1993)
Cae Llys is situated 100m to the south-west of St.Peter's Church, Newborough. The church and the excavation area occupy the crest of a low but locally prominent ridge between the estuaries of the Braint and the Cefni on the south-west coast on Anglesey. Edward I's planned new town, Newborough lies 600m to the north-east.
Rhosyr is well documented as the maerdref of the commote of Menai. Llywelyn ap Iowerth signed a charter here in 1237, and a fair and market were well-established before the conquest. The pre-conquest demesne extended over 600 acres and in 1303 Newborough was established on these lands. Fourteenth century documents refer to some elements of the pre-conquest llys including the hall of the manor, the fence around the lord's manor, a chapel, rhaglaw's hall, privy and stable. In 1332 over 200 acres of land were lost to a sand storm and blown sand must have been a persistent problem. In the 18th century antiquarians could refer to the sand-covred rectangular runing walls of the former llys a short distance south of the church. By the 20th century nothing survived above the surface of of a ploughed field.
The 1994 excavations extended over an are of 750m2. The principal features identified include a lenght of perimeter wall (26m), broken by a clarly defined 1.5m entrance;the stone foundations of a large (20 x 14m) building of at least two phaes of construction; the foundatipms of a complex of walls and rooms extending from the large building and drains and paved surfaces in the space between the structure and the perimeter wall. Some of the masonary has been removed by stone robbing but much survives, standing 4-5 courses high in places, protected by blown sand. Coins of the early-mid 13th century and pottery of the 13th-14th century have been recovered .
The walls of the large building had been badly robbed and the northern side was entirely defined by a stone-robbing trench. This structure appears to have been of at least two phases. The earlier comprised a rectangular block 15m long (internal) by 9m wide. This unit was enlarged with the addition of a 2m wide range on the south side. This range contained a small division at the east.and formed a room 2m by 4m. The continuation of both the north and south robber trenches beyond the limit of the surviving rectangular foundations implies a similar range on the west side of the building, giving a maximum length of 18m. An external stone surface was laid to the north of the structure and had been provided with a a drain. Towards the east end of the building the drain was defined by a number of large capping stones some of which probably also served as a laid path leading into the structure. A number of internal features were excavated, including the probable hearth, an oval plinth of stone with a number of heat-shattered stones slightly off centre and at the west end of the building. A further wall running parallel to the south side of the building survived to a height of 0.6m.
Between the building and the perimeter wall was a surface of compact pebbles and a path aligbed on the entrance to the perimeter wall. The southern side of the path was flanked by a series of large flagstones which appear to pre-date the construction of the building and lead to a well-laid surface of flat stones which may pre-date the eastern side of the building. Dressed sandstone mouldings attest the sophistication of the original structures.
At present there are no immediate parallels for the ground plan of the building at Cae Llys among the known medieval buildings of Gwynedd, although a similar arrangement of rooms occurs at the much larger early 13th century aisled hall at Tintern Abbey (Medieval Archaeol, 1989). The dimensions of the rectangular block at Cae Llys are comparable to the dimensions of the largest known hall in the county, the Bishop's Palace at Gogarth. (Johnstone, 1994)
Excavations were carried out by GAT for Cadw and Ynys Mon Council in 1993-6, revealing the well-preserved remains of a large part of the llys or royal court complex of Rhosyr, administrative centre of the commote of Menai, part of the medieval kingdom of Gwynedd, the first such site to be investigated in any detail. A project is in hand to present the remains to the public as part of the heritage of the area and in 1998 GAT supervised conservation work to consolidate the excavated walls and provide a protective layers for the surfaces. This involved detailed photographic and standing building recording of all remains. It is hoped to open the site to the public in 1999 in conjuction with a video presentation in the village of Newborough. (Smith, 1998)
Book review of 'Rhosyr: Its History and Topography in the Age of the Welsh Princes'. The book covers the landscape of Newboprough including Ty Mawr, , the Menai Straits, Cefyn Bychan and St. Peter's Church. The reviewers indicate some confusion/innacuracies over geographical locations and misquotations, though they do indicate it contains useful information and new ideas. (Davidson & Johnstone 2019)
Events : 41555 : PRN 899 Excavation (year : 1993) 41556 : PRN 899 Excavation (year : 1995) 41413 : Geophysical Survey Carried out at Aber, Llanfaes and Newborough (year : 1993) 40612 : Hendre Bach, Newborough: Assessment (year : 2002) 44421 : Llys and Maerdref: an Investigation into the Location of the Royal Courts of the Princes of Gwynedd (year : 1995) 44660 : Llys Rhosyr, Newborough, Anglesey, Heritage Project (year : 2000) 45039 : Land Adjacent to Ty Capel, Chapel Street, Newborough, Ynys Mon (year : 2015)
