CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
The following information is from the on-line database 'Archwilio'.
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Castell Dinas Bran (multiple)

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 101172
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Llangollen
Unitary authority : Denbighshire
NGR : SJ2232043026
Site Type (preferred type first) : MULTIPERIOD ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT / MULTIPERIOD ENCLOSED SETTLEMENT
Status : scheduled monument

Summary :
Univallate Iron Age hillfort built on an extremely steep-sided hill overlooking the Dee valley. It encloses 1.5ha. A Welsh castle was built here in AD 1270 over the the north-west half of the hillfort.

Description :
Univallate Iron Age hillfort built on an extremely steep-sided hill overlooking the Dee valley. It encloses 1.5ha. A Welsh castle was built here in 1270 over the the north-west half of the hillfort. Possible hut sites within the hillfort (CAS, 4/12/93).

Scheduled (Cadw 2000)


Sources :
Ancient Monuments Board for Wales , 1998 , Annual Report
Anon , 1884 , title unknown - Castell Dinas Bran (multiple)
Avent, R , 1983 , Castles of the Princes of Gwynedd
Bradley , 1898 , Highways and byeways in North Wales
Burnham, H., 1995 , A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Clwyd and Powys
Cadw , 1972 , Scheduling map - DE021(DEN)
Cadw , 1988 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - De021(DEN)
Cadw , 1991 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - De021(DEN)
Cadw , 1993 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - De021(DEN)
Cadw , 2000 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - De021(DEN)
Cadw , 2002 , The Conservation of Privately Owned Scheduled Ancient Monuments
Cadw , 2002 , What is Sheduling?
Camden, W , 1789 , title unknown - Castell Dinas Bran (multiple)
Cathcart King, D J , 1974 , Two Castles in Northern Powys: Dinas Bran and Caergwrle , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 123 : 113-139
Clwyd Archaeology Service , Photograph of Castell Dinas Bran (multiple)
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1983 , Site visit record - PRN101172
Davies, E., 1929 , The Prehistoric and Roman remains of Denbighshire ( © Davies, E)
Dooley, N , 1992 , title unknown - Castell Dinas Bran, castle
Evans, J , 1810 , Topographical and historical descriptions of the counties of Carnarvon and Denbigh
Fenton, R , 1917 , Tours in Wales 1902-13
Forde-Johnston, J , 1964 , Fieldwork on the hillforts of North Wales , Flintshire Historical Society Publications : 21 : 1-20
Hewitt, R S , 1977 , A history of Castell Dinas Bran
Jones, E P , 1984 , Castell Dinas Bran , Denbighshire Historical Society Transactions : 33 : 69-74
Jones, N. W , 2020 , Castell Dinas Brân, Llangollen, Denbighshire: Condition Survey. ( © Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT))
Kemp, W J , 1935 , Dinas Bran castle and hillfort , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 90 : 323-6
Kendell, E , 2001 , Country Walking, November
King, D J C , 1974 , Two castles in northern Powys: Dinas Bran and Caergwrle , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 123 : 113-39
Leland, J , 1906 , Itinnerary
Lewis, S , 1842 , A Topographical Dictionary of Wales
Lhuyd, E , 1910 , Parish enquiries c1700
Lloyds, J E , 1911 , title unknown - Castell Dinas Bran (multiple)
Longueville-Jones, H , 1855 , List of early British remains in Wales , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 1 : 263
Moore, D , 1997 , Thomas Pennant's Vision of the Landscape , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 146 : 138-177
Neaverson, E , 1947 , Medieval castles in North Wales: a study of sites, water supply and building stone
Newberry & Carman , 1769 , Description of England and Wales
Ordnance Survey , 1975 , OS record card SJ 24 SW 7
Pennant, T , 1783 , A Tour in Wales
Pratt, D , 2008 , Anatomy of conquest, Bromfield and Yale, 1277 to 1284 , Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society : 56 : 17-58
Pratt, D., & Grant, M., 1998 , Wings Across the Border. A History of Aviation in North East Wales and the Northern Marches
Pugh, E D , 1816 , Cambria Dipicta
Rev..Bingley, W., 1814 , North Wales Delineated from two excursions through all the interesting parts of that highly beautiful and romantic country, and intended as a guide to future tourists
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales , 1914 , Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire - IV County of Denbigh
Senior, M , 1970 , Castle of the Holy Grail , County Quest : 10 : 18-20
Simpson, W D , 1827 , Some account of Llangollen and its vicinity
Thomas, R , 1982 , Castles in Wales
Tregellas, W H , 1865 , Castell Dinas Bran near Llangollen , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 11 : 49-58

Events :
140340 : Llangollen, Castell Dinas Bran, condition survey, 2020 (year : 2020)
152941 : Llangollen, Castell Dinas Bran, geophysical survey, 2017 (year : 2017)

Related records
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 101173
CPAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 101174

Compiled date : 31-12-1980


Images :



Archaeological data, from the Historic Environment Record, supplied by The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © CPAT, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025). It is intended to be used for private research only and is not for use as part of commercial projects. If you wish to use this information for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. Use of this information is subject to the terms and conditions of access to HER data published on CPAT's website. Please contact the HER if you have any further questions regarding this information. Please quote the Primary Reference Numbers (PRNs) in any correspondence.

April 1, 2025, 12:26 pm - File produced for Archwilio from CPAT's Regional HER.
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, The Offices, Coed y Dinas, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RP
tel (01938) 553670, email her@cpat.org.uk, website www.cpat.org.uk

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