In the deeply storied landscape of the Welsh Marches, some of the most significant medieval power sites have slipped from memory — hidden in place-names, historical silences, and reshaped terrain. My current project centres on one such place: Overton, a strategically located settlement on the Welsh-English frontier, once in medieval Flintshire, and now part of modern-day Wrexham County Borough.

 This year, I have shared aspects of this research through a recorded talk for the Mortimer History Society, a short article in their journal Mortimer Matters, and a blog post for the Castle Studies Trust. Most recently, in July, I presented a paper at the International Medieval Congress at Leeds University, titled ‘Leisure, Literature, and Legend: Reconstructing Edward I’s and Queen Eleanor of Castile’s Castles and Boroughs through Innovative Landscape Contexts.’

 Rediscovering a Princely Stronghold

The first castle at Overton was likely established in the early 12th century by Madog ap Maredudd, the last prince of a united Powys. A motte-and-bailey structure was probably constructed here as part of his wider territorial assertion, and the site is first mentioned in historical documents in 1138 — already an indicator of its importance.

 By the late 13th century, the castle and lordship had passed into English royal hands. In 1283, King Edward I granted Overton to Eleanor of Castile, his queen consort, who held it until her death in 1290. Just two years later, Edward formally created a borough at Overton — embedding it in his administrative and colonial framework in North Wales.

Today, however, the castle is effectively lost to the landscape: its location unconfirmed, its fabric vanished, and its full historical function obscured.

 Methodologies for the Forgotten

 At the International Medieval Congress (IMC) at Leeds University this year, I presented a paper on methodologies for investigating such ‘lost castles’ — using both Overton and Caernarfon (a high-profile UNESCO World Heritage Site) as case studies.

 My approach is multidisciplinary, contextual, and landscape-focused. By bringing together historical sources, topography, GIS analysis, heritage mapping, on-the-ground survey, and spatial theory, I create a framework for identifying forgotten sites and interpreting their wider role in regional power structures.

In frontier landscapes like that of Overton, this work must also be cross-border in approach — sensitive to the complex histories of negotiation, resistance, and absorption between England and Wales. Lost castles cannot be understood in isolation: they belong to a dynamic temporal and spatial network of control, resistance, and identity.

 Engagement and Outcomes

Some of this research has already been shared through a talk to the Mortimer History Society, a blog post for the Castle Studies Group, and a feature in Mortimer Matters. A peer-reviewed publication is forthcoming— and will offer a detailed synthesis of Overton’s strategic role, castle typology, and lost heritage status.

This kind of work creates new insights not only into medieval political geography but also into how we conserve, narrate, and manage historic landscapes today. It informs both public heritage engagement and policy-driven conservation planning — with direct relevance to local authorities, funding bodies, heritage trusts, and academic collaborators.

Why This Work Matters

Lost castles like Overton are not merely footnotes in regional history — they are critical to understanding the transformation of landscapes, identities, and governance in medieval Britain. They represent physical absences that, when carefully investigated, open windows onto power, conflict, and belonging.

Such investigations require a research-led, sensitive approach — one that bridges disciplines and works in partnership with landowners, local groups, heritage professionals, and scholars alike.

Further Reading

 Swallow, R. E. 2021. Ring-fencing the gardinum? : European Romance to British Reality of the Thirteenth-century Caernarfon Castle Garden and Park, in C. Rozier and D. Steinforth (eds), Britain & its Neighbours: Cultural Contexts & Exchanges in Medieval & Early Modern Europe, London, Routledge, pp. 121 – 39 

Swallow, R. E. 2021. Cherchez la Femme: Gender, Space and Place at Caernarfon Castle, Gwynedd, North Wales, Chateau Gaillard, 29, Chateau Thierry, France, pp. 353 

Swallow, R. E. 2019. Living the Dream: The Legend, Lady and Landscape of Caernarfon Castle, Gwynedd, North Wales, in Archaeologia Cambrensis, 219, pp. 153 – 95

Queen Eleanor of Castile, Caernarfon Castle, and the Overton Connection – Castle Studies Trust Blog

Royalty Unveiled: The Queen of Caernarfon Castle and the Overton-on-Dee Connection – Presentation to the Mortimer History Society, May 2025

Royalty Unveiled: Queen Eleanor of Caernarfon Castle and Overton-on-Dee  in Mortimer History Society, Mortimer Matters Issue 60, April 2025