Scroll left/right to view further images.
HER:  Clwyd Powys 1835 (None)
NMR:  SN 98 NW 5 (304941)
SM:  MG085(POW)
NGR:  SN90828688
X:  290820  Y:  286880  (OSGB36)
Univallate, contour hillfort sited on a prominent summit spur of Pen y gaer, one of a cluster of sites around Llyn Clywedog reservoir, 0.3km away to E (formerly the valley of the Afon Clywedog), Llanidloes. Surrounding slopes moderate to strong to N and S, steep to E and W. Measures c. 68m by 44m with internal area 0.27ha. Defined by unditched dry-stone wall, now collapsed, possibly 3.5m to 4m thick; some faces still visible to S and W. On gentler N and S sides additional walls c. 55m and 18m respectively from enclosure. Probably outworks. Well-preserved oblique entrance passage through SE wall, with two, possibly natural, monoliths outside. Rocky uneven interior. At least two level areas with rock-cut rear 'walls' forming hollow platforms. Also boggy areas and a wide level area inside gate suggesting possible yard (T. Driver RCAHMW visit 2005). Rocky upland grazing. On 1st Ed. OS map (1886-87). Minimal investigations, undated.
Citizen Science:  ✗
Reliability of Data:  Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed
X:  -401719  Y:  6885353  (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude:  -3.608699210150115  Latitude:  52.46887765791421  (EPSG:4326)
Country:  Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority:  Powys
Historic County:  Montgomeryshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Llanidloes Without
Well-preserved site with walls in evidence. Modern cairn in interior.
| Extant   | ✓ |
| Cropmark   | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed   | ✗ |
Rocky upland grazing.
| Woodland   | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation   | ✗ |
| Parkland   | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing)   | ✓ |
| Arable   | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken   | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop   | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland   | ✗ |
| Heath   | ✗ |
| Built-up   | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
Univallate contour hillfort sited on a prominent summit spur of Pen y gaer, one of a cluster of sites around Llyn Clywedog reservoir, 0.3km away to E (formerly the valley of the Afon Clywedog). Surrounding slopes moderate to strong to N and S, steep to E and W.
| 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:  Spur summit
| North   | ✗ |
| Northeast   | ✗ |
| East   | ✗ |
| Southeast   | ✗ |
| South   | ✗ |
| Southwest   | ✗ |
| West   | ✗ |
| Northwest   | ✗ |
| Level   | ✓ |
Altitude:  390.0m
N/A
None.
Reliability:  D - None
| Pre 1200BC   | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC   | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC   | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50   | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400   | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800   | ✗ |
| Post AD800   | ✗ |
| Unknown   | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort:   | None |
| Post Hillfort:   | None |
On 1st Ed. OS map (1886-87). CPAT Montgomeryshire Small enclosures project 1990-97. Visited by T. Driver RCAHMW 2005.
| Other (2005):   | RCAHMW visit. |
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   | OS map. |
| Other (None):   | CPAT Montgomeryshire Small enclosures project. |
At least two level areas with rock-cut rear 'walls' forming hollow platforms. Also boggy areas and a wide level area inside gate suggesting possible yard.
Boggy areas in interior. Llyn (Afon) Clywedog 0.3 outside fort.
| None   | ✗ |
| Spring   | ✗ |
| Stream   | ✗ |
| Pool   | ✗ |
| Flush   | ✓ |
| Well   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✓ |
At least two level areas with rock-cut rear 'walls' forming hollow platforms. Also boggy areas and a wide level area inside gate suggesting possible yard.
| No Known Features   | ✗ |
| Round Stone Structures   | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures   | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms   | ✓ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence   | ✗ |
| Pits   | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✓ |
None
| 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   | ✗ |
None
| 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   | ✗ |
Well-preserved oblique entrance passage through SE wall, with two, possibly natural, monoliths outside. Gap to N possibly modern.
| 2:   | Gap to N possibly modern. |
| 2:   | None |
Guard Chambers:  ✗
Chevaux de Frise:  ✗
| 1. Passage-way/Corridor (South east):   | Oblique passage. |
| 1. Oblique (South east):   | Oblique passage. |
| 1. Other Forms (South east):   | Monoliths outside possibly connected. |
Unditched dry-stone wall, now collapsed, possibly 3.5m to 4m thick; some faces still visible to S and W. On gentler N and S sides additional walls c. 55m and 18m respectively from enclosure. Probably outworks.
| Area 1:   | 0.27ha. |
| Total:   | 0.27ha. |
Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.
None
| ✗   | None |
| ✓   | On gentler N and S sides additional walls c. 55m and 18m respectively from enclosure. Probably outworks. |
| NE Quadrant:   | 1 |
| SE Quadrant:   | 1 |
| SW Quadrant:   | 1 |
| NW Quadrant:   | 1 |
| Total:   | 1 |
| Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
| Univallate   | ✓ |
| Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Unknown   | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate   | ✗ |
| Univallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Bivallate   | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate   | ✗ |
| Multivallate   | ✗ |
Stone-walled site.
| None   | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank   | ✗ |
| Stone Wall   | ✓ |
| Rubble   | ✓ |
| Wall-walk   | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber   | ✗ |
| Vitrification   | ✗ |
| Other Burning   | ✗ |
| Palisade   | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank   | ✗ |
| Berm   | ✗ |
| Unfinished   | ✗ |
| Other   | ✗ |
None
| 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 |
| ✗   | No ditch visible. |
Number of Ditches:  0
| ✗   | None |
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.
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, No. 593, London: HMSO.
Silvester, R.J. and Britnell, W.J. 1993. Montgomeryshire small enclosures project. Summary Report 1993, CPAT Report No 80, Welshpool, Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust.
Spurgeon, C.J. 1972. Enclosures of Iron Age type in the Upper Severn Basin, In Lynch, F. and Burgess, C. (eds.) 1972, Prehistoric man in Wales and the West, 327-28, 6, Bath: Adams and Dart.
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