Faint traces of the birthplace of Llywelyn the Great.
Nature has now reclaimed much of Tomen Castell, on the edge of the floodplain of the Lledr Valley. Across the road from the romantic ruin of Castell Dolwyddelan, this rocky mound, covered in Scots pines, nevertheless still shows traces of a late 12th-century stone structure on the summit. This is all that remains of the probable birthplace of the most celebrated of the princes of Gwynedd, Llywelyn the Great.
The castle must have been an impressive structure in its time. It was certainly sturdy: archaeological excavations suggest that the wall was nearly 3 metres thick in places. A ditch at the bottom of the western side of the mound gave additional protection.
Like its more famous, and better preserved, younger brother across the road, Tomen Castell was probably built to oversee and control the mountain road through southern Snowdonia, from Conwy to Ardudwy, and to protect the princes’ summer pasturelands. The royal herds of Gwynedd would have grazed in the fields stretching all around, much as their descendants do today.
The site itself is not publicly accessible, but you can get a good view from the keep of Castell Dolwyddelan.
An interesting spot to take in during a longer walk around the Lledr Valley.
Free Entry
Less than 1 mile west of the village of Dolwyddelan on the A470.
Just over 1 mile from Dolwyddelan railway station.
No suitable service.
Less than 1 mile west of the village of Dolwyddelan on the A470.
Less than 1 mile west of the village of Dolwyddelan on the A470.
The site is inaccessible and on private land, but can be viewed from the other side of the road above the car park for Castell Dolwyddelan.
Full Figure Grid Reference: SH72475216 Coordinates for Garmin satnav users: -3.904578, 53.051125 OS explorer map sheet: OL17