LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Clwyd Powys 50650 (None); Shropshire MSA828
NMR: SJ 22 SE (92487)
SM: 100478 (England)
NGR: SJ264221
X: 326479 Y: 322138 (OSGB36)
Very large contour hillfort, at c. 57ha one of the largest in Britain. Straddles the England /Wales border where the Afon Vyrnwy, Tanat and Cain reach the Severn plain at Llanymynech. Sides steep so little defence needed, but mineral extraction (important copper source in Iron Age to Roman periods), later quarrying and golf course development have obscured many features. To N, Blodwell Rock (Atlas No 0041). Moderate, low single rampart on S and W, later incorporated into construction of Offa's Dyke, and gaps here modern. On N and E c. 300m of double and triple (in places) ramparts visible. Near middle of N rampart inturned entrance, cut off by later banks and ditches, now damaged, and, now obscured by buildings and gardens. Remains of another entrance on NE side. Two other gaps on S and W, with no inturns, probably modern, and probably more. Golf course in interior and public footpaths over site. Important site for extraction of copper, zinc and lead ores from Iron Age to Roman period, but golf course has obscured many associated features. Pipe trench for reservoir 1981 produced hearth, pit and charcoal, giving C14 dates of 2020 BP (162 BC- AD 53) and 2170 BP (363 BC-119 BC). Copper alloy from layers here showed hillfort in existence before late 2nd century BC, metallurgy subsequently taking place, probably involving ores from Llanymynech itself, with possible production of brass. Also evidence to suggest that ores mined and used for manufacture of bronze weapons and implements from later Bronze Age onwards, and a cave known as the 'Ogof' inside the hillfort probably a Roman mine. Numerous observations on site by CPAT and other bodies from 1970's onwards. Folklore connections with Caratacus. On 1st Ed. OS map (1875).
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -344171 Y: 6944572 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.0917436816086865 Latitude: 52.79176006007023 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales; England
Current County or Unitary Authority: Powys; Shropshire
Historic County: Montgomeryshire; Shropshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Carreghofa; Llanymynech and Pant
Site much damaged by houses, gardens and quarrying. Golf course in interior and public footpaths over site. Past mineral extraction from prehistoric times on part of site, but golf course has obscured many features.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✓ |
Golf course and buildings, scrub and bare rock.
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✓ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✗ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✓ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
Very large contour hillfort, at c. 57ha one of the largest in Britain. Straddles the England /Wales border where the Afon Vyrnwy, Tanat and Cain reach the Severn plain. Sides steep so little defence needed.
| Contour Fort | ✓ |
| Partial Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Promontory Fort | ✗ |
| Hillslope Fort | ✗ |
| Level Terrain Fort | ✗ |
| Marsh Fort | ✗ |
| Multiple Enclosure Fort | ✗ |
| Hilltop | ✓ |
| Coastal Promontory | ✗ |
| Inland Promontory | ✗ |
| Valley Bottom | ✗ |
| Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop | ✗ |
| Ridge | ✗ |
| Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp | ✗ |
| Hillslope | ✗ |
| Lowland | ✗ |
| Spur | ✗ |
Dominant Topographic Feature: Hill top
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 200.0m
Part of site in Wales (Powys), part in England (Shropshire).
Boundary Type: National
Charcoal from pit gave C14 dates of 2020 BP (162 BC-AD 53) and 2170 BP (363 BC-119 BC). Copper alloy from layers showed hillfort in existence before late 2nd century BC. Evidence that ores mined and used for manufacture of bronze weapons and implements from later Bronze Age onwards and cave known as the 'Ogof' inside the hillfort probably a Roman mine. Hoard of 33 coins dating between 30 BC and AD 161 from the Ogof.
Reliability: B - Medium
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✓ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✓ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | None |
| Artefactual: | Roman coin hoard. |
| C14: | Charcoal from pit gave dates of 2020 BP (162BC-53AD) and 2170 BP (363BC- 119BC). |
| Other: | Copper alloy from layers showed hillfort in existence before late 2nd century BC. |
| Other: | Evidence to suggest that ores mined and used for manufacture of bronze weapons and implements from later Bronze Age onwards and there is a cave known as the Ogof inside the hillfort probably Roman mine. |
Finds and antiquarian references from 18th century - no details. On 1st Ed. OS map (1875). CPAT observations during construction of service pipes for new reservoir at site 1981. CPAT trench over middle rampart as part of Severn Trent works 1995. CPAT detailed measured survey of local Llanymynech Heritage Area 2004. Numerous observations and watching briefs by CPAT and other bodies from 1970's onwards.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1875): | OS map. |
| Excavation (1981): | CPAT observations during construction of service pipes. |
| Excavation (1995): | CPAT trench over middle rampart as part of Severn Trent works |
| Other (2004): | CPAT detailed measured survey of Heritage Area 2004. |
| 1st Identified Written Reference (None): | References to site - no details. |
| 1st Identified Written Reference (None): | Antiquarian references - no details. |
| Other (None): | Numerous observations and watching briefs by CPAT and other bodies. |
Pipe trench for reservoir 1981 produced hearth, pit and charcoal. Hoard of 33 coins dating between 30 BC and AD 161 from the Ogof. Hollows visible, buts site features much obscured by golf course and uncertain.
Spring on site.
| None | ✗ |
| Spring | ✓ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Hollows visible, buts site features much obscured by golf course and uncertain.
| No Known Features | ✗ |
| Round Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms | ✗ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
Pipe trench for reservoir 1981 produced hearth, pit and charcoal.
| No Known Excavation | ✗ |
| Pits | ✓ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Geophysics | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
Pipe trench for reservoir 1981 produced hearth, pit and charcoal. Hoard of 33 coins dating between 30 BC and AD 161 from the Ogof.
| No Known Finds | ✗ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✗ |
| Environmental | ✓ |
| Other | ✓ |
None
| APs Not Checked | ✓ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Near middle of N rampart inturned entrance, cut off by later banks and ditches, now damaged, and, now obscured by buildings and gardens. Remains of another on NE side. Two other gaps on S and W, with no inturns, probably modern and probably more gaps.
| 5: | Three gaps on S and W with no inturns probably modern. Probably more but not determined. |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. In-turned (North): | Damaged. |
| 2. Simple Gap (North east): | Damaged and obscured. |
Moderate, low single rampart on S and W, later incorporated into construction of Offa's Dyke and gaps here modern. On N and E c. 300m of double and triple (in places) ramparts visible. Pipe trench excavation produced loose limestone rubble construction and vertically faced at rear.
| Area 1: | 57.0ha. |
| Total: | 57.0ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | Difficult to ascertain in detail. |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SW Quadrant: | 1 |
| NW Quadrant: | 1 |
| Total: | 2 |
| Partial Univallate | ✓ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✓ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Rubble | ✓ |
| Wall-walk | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Pipe trench excavation produced loose limestone rubble construction and vertically faced at rear.
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✓ |
| Murus Duplex | ✗ |
| Timber-framed | ✗ |
| Timber-laced | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✓ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| No Known Excavation | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | Total number of ditches not defined. |
Number of Ditches: None
| ✗ | None |
Barnwell, E. L. 1870. The early antiquities of the county of Montgomeryshire, The Montgomeryshire Collections, 3, 415-52.
Fox, C. and Hemp, W. J. 1926. Llanymynech and Blodwell Hillforts, Arch Camb, 81, 395-400.
Jones, N. W., Silvester, R. J. and Britnell, W. J. 2003. Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy. Landscape Archaeology Assessment, Unpublished report, Welshpool: CPAT.
Jones, N. W., Hankinson, R. and Silvester, R. J. 2012. Llanymynech Hill: Cultural Heritage and Management, Unpublished report, Welshpool: CPAT.
Musson, C. R. 1981. Llanymynech Hillfort, Arch in Wales, 21, 31.
Musson, C. 2012. Montgomeryshire hillforts and enclosures from the air, in Britnell, W.J. and Silvester, R.J. (eds) Reflections on the past. Essays in honour of Frances Lynch. Cambrian Archaeological Association, 351-368.
Musson, C. R. and Northover, J. P. 1989. Llanymynech Hillfort, Powys and Shropshire: observations on construction work 1981, The Montgomeryshire Collections, 77, 15-26.
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions in Wales and Monmouthshire, 1911. An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, I, County of Montgomery, London: HMSO.
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
This work is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
and should be cited as:
Lock, Gary and Ralston, Ian. 2024. Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland. Available at: https://hillforts.arch.ox.ac.uk
Document Version 1.1