LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Clwyd Powys 695 (None)
NMR: SO 21 NW 12 (306250)
SM: BR061(POW)
NGR: SO22811859
X: 322810 Y: 218590 (OSGB36)
Univallate, contour hillfort located on prominent wooded hill (Bluebell Wood) above River Usk to S and SW and confluence with the Grwyne Fawr to E at Crickhowell. Steep surrounding slopes to S, less elsewhere. Sub-rectangular enclosure measuring c. 70m by 52m with internal area 0.29ha. On S and E rampart reduced to outward-facing scarp, elsewhere, earth and stone bank, whose inner scarp c. 0.2m and 0.8m high and to 1.1m at NW corner. Outer scarp most prominent on S where to 1.75m high. On N up to 1.25m high. Remains of stone wall on S recorded in 1962 not traceable, but stone still remains on surface. Site of ditch indicated by shelf at SW corner and along NE side and by two linear depressions, respectively 0.5m and 0.7m deep, along N side and at NW corner. Low counterscarp bank possibly on the N. Original entrance simple gap in the rampart just S of the centre of the E side, now used by modern track. Corresponding gap on W side modern. It is possible that there was another entrance at the NW corner, but the area is obscured by quarrying. No interior features. Wooded site with heavy undergrowth. Damaged by quarrying in S interior and NW apex. On 1st Ed. OS map (1897-89). Few investigations. Undated.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -347577 Y: 6774940 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.1223366593139614 Latitude: 51.86049371695787 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Powys
Historic County: Brecknockshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: The Vale of Grwyney
Within Bluebell Wood (Woodland Trust site). Quarrying, damage, especially internally in SW and NW quadrants where hollows and tips, some linear. Modern track passes through rampart original entrance near the centre of the W and E sides.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✓ |
Wooded site with heavy undergrowth and quarry.
| Woodland | ✓ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
Univallate, contour hillfort located on prominent wooded hill (Bluebell Wood) above River Usk to S and SW and confluence with the Grwyne Fawr to E at Crickhowell. Steep surrounding slopes to S, less elsewhere.
| 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: 228.0m
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 (1897-89). RCAHMW investigation 1978. CPAT defended enclosures survey 2006-2007.
| Other (1978): | RCAHMW investigation. |
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (None): | OS map. |
| Other (None): | CPAT defended enclosures survey. |
None.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| 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 | ✗ |
Original entrance simple gap in the rampart just S of the centre of the E side, now used by modern track. Corresponding gap on W side modern. It is possible that there was another entrance at the NW corner, but the area is obscured by quarrying.
| 4: | Modern W gap. |
| 2: | Gaps on NW corner obscured by quarrying; possibly another original entrance here, but no details. |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (East): | None |
| 2. Simple Gap (North west): | Possible site only. |
On S and E rampart reduced to outward-facing scarp. Elsewhere, earth and stone bank whose inner scarp c. 0.2 and 0.8m high and to 1.1 m at NW corner. Outer scarp most prominent on S where to 1.75m high. On N up to 1.25m high. Remains of stone wall on S recorded in 1962 not traceable, but stone still remains on surface. Site of ditch indicated by helf at SW corner and along NE side and by two linear depressions, respectively 0.5m and 0.7m deep, along N side and at NW corner. Low counterscarp bank possibly on the N.
| Area 1: | 0.29ha. |
| Total: | 0.29ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | None |
| 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 | ✗ |
Low counterscarp bank possibly on the N.
| 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 |
| ✓ | Site of ditch indicated by helf at SW corner and along NE side and by two linear depressions, respectively 0.5m and 0.7m deep, along N side and at NW corner. |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✗ | None |
RCAHMW 1986. An inventory of the ancient monuments in Brecknock (Brycheiniog). The Prehistoric and Roman monuments, Vol 1, Part 2, Hill-forts and Roman remains, HF 63, London: HMSO.
Silvester, B. 2007. The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. Defended enclosures in Brecknock, CPAT Report No 859, Welshpool: CPAT.
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