town, historic and present county of Flintshire (Sir Fflint), northeastern Wales, situated on a small stretch of farmland between the two industrial centres of Deeside and Wrexham. Mold grew up around a motte-and-bailey castle that the Normans built in the 12th century. The native Christian Britons of the area defeated the Picts and Scots in an important battle waged in 430 CE; an obelisk, built in 1736 and located 1 mile (1.6 km) northwest of town, commemorates the victory. Mold has long been a market centre for the area. The 19th-century writer Daniel Owen (Owen, Daniel), widely considered the father of the Welsh novel, was born in Mold, and the town's cultural centre contains some of his original manuscripts and personal items. Mold is the administrative centre and historic county town (seat) of Flintshire. Pop. (2001) 9,568.