LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Clwyd Powys 747 (None)
NMR: SN 93 NE (92045)
SM: BR051 (POW)
NGR: SN9850035400
X: 298500 Y: 235400 (OSGB36)
Small, but strategically placed, contour hillfort located on prominent hill in commanding position above a bend of the Afon Ysgir Fechan 0.3km away, just upstream of its confluence with the Afon Ysgir Fawr and in River Usk catchment at Merthyr Cynog. Surrounding slopes N, E very steep, S precipitous, W moderate to strong. Site difficult to access apart from to the N and NE where the ramparts are located. Measures 48m by 8m-16m, with internal area c. 0.1 ha. Enclosing works appear strong for such small interior. Triple system of banks of earth and stone and ditches, all three banks inturned at W extremities and outer bank also to E. Probable quarry ditch at the top. Possible counterscarp now longer visible. Entrance approach from NE between ends of banks and precipitous S side, but quarrying possibly masked additional features. Gate was possibly along narrow passage between end of main inner rampart and short length of bank along the sheer drop. Most habitable and least exposed area is behind the inner rampart in the quarry ditch. Rough grassland and trees. Plough and quarrying damaged. On 1st Ed. OS map (1886-88). Few investigations. Undated.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -387415 Y: 6801515 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.480207462675624 Latitude: 52.00768540225807 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Powys
Historic County: Brecknockshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Merthyr Cynog
The ramparts are mostly well-preserved, but quarrying has masked features at entrance to E. Ploughing has damaged the outermost ditch.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Rough grass and trees. Wooded slopes apart from NW. Quarrying.
| Woodland | ✓ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
Small, but strategically placed, contour hillfort on a prominent hill above a bend of the Afon Ysgir Fechan 0.3km away, just upstream of its confluence with the Afon Ysgir Fawr and in River Usk catchment. Commanding position. Surrounding slopes N, E very steep, S precipitous, W moderate to strong.
| 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: 350.0m
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 (1886-88). 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. |
Probable quarry ditch at the top, similar to Midsummer Hill in the Malverns (Atlas No. 0024 ).
Stream 0.2km outside fort.
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Probable quarry ditch at the top similar to Midsummer Hill in the Malverns (Atlas No 0024).
| 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 | ✗ |
Entrance approach from NE between ends of banks and precipitous S side. Quarrying possibly masked additional features. Gate was possibly along narrow passage between end of main inner rampart and short length of bank along the sheer drop.
| 1: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Passage-way/Corridor (North east): | None |
The S side is precipitous and difficult to access apart from to the N and NE where the defences are located. All three banks of earth and stone are inturned at their W extremities and the outer bank also to the E. Probable quarry ditch at the top as at Midsummer Hill in the Malverns (Atlas No. 0024). Possible counterscarp no longer visible.
| Area 1: | 0.1ha. |
| Total: | 0.1ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 3 |
| SE Quadrant: | 0 |
| SW Quadrant: | 0 |
| NW Quadrant: | 3 |
| Total: | 3 |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✓ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
Earth and stone banks. Possible counterscarp no longer visible.
| 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 |
| ✗ | None |
Number of Ditches: 0
| ✗ | 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 14, London: HMSO.
Savory, H.N. 1952. List of Hill-forts and other earthworks in Wales, III, Brecknockshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 14, 72.
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