LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Clwyd Powys 504 (None)
NMR: SO 13 NW 4 (306028)
SM: BR085(POW)
NGR: SO12773790
X: 312770 Y: 237900 (OSGB36)
Prominent and steep multivallate partial contour hillfort located on E-SE-facing slopes directly above a major bend on the River Wye, but overlooked by rising ground to W, at Bronllys. Surrounding slopes precipitous to N, very steep to E and steep to S and W. Main enclosure roughly pentagonal in shape, measuring 90m by 100m with internal area 0.88ha. Substantial double ramparts and ditches mostly define the site, merging into scarps on E, downhill side. Outer ditch discontinuous, lacking on N and E. and poor on S. Third rampart on S damaged, with shallow ditch for half its length. Inner rampart is of earth and stone, highest on N side and generally between 2m and 4m high. Elsewhere ramparts variable in height. An annexe lies on the W side, and with outer rampart on S probably later additions. Site an important centre in medieval period and some of features may date to this time. Simple gap through the ramparts on E probably only entrance to main enclosure according to RCAHMW (1986,113). However other breaches remain with possibilities for other gates. Wooded ramparts, apart from NE, but trees have naturally denuded the banks in places as has stream erosion. Interior is grass and bracken. On 1st Ed. OS map (1889). Minimal investigations, undated.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -364349 Y: 6806019 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.2730015660655085 Latitude: 52.0325855518169 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Powys
Historic County: Brecknockshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Bronllys
Trees have naturally denuded the banks in places as has stream erosion.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Wooded ramparts, apart from NE. Interior is grass and bracken.
| Woodland | ✓ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Prominent and steep partial contour hillfort located on E-SE-facing slopes directly above a major bend on the River Wye, but overlooked by rising ground to W. Surrounding slopes precipitous to N, very steep to E and steep to S and W. Main
| 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
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✓ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✗ |
Altitude: 190.0m
N/A
None. This was an important centre in the medieval period and some of the features of the enclosure may date to this time.
Reliability: D - None
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | This was an important centre in the medieval period and some of the features of the enclosure may date to this time. |
On 1st Ed. OS map (1889). RCAHMW investigation 1979. CPAT defended enclosures survey 2006-2007.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1889): | OS map. |
| Other (1979): | RCAHMW investigation. |
| Other (None): | CPAT defended enclosures survey. |
None.
Stream on site.
| 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 | ✗ |
According to RCAHMW (1986, 113) inturned gap through ramparts on E probably only entrance to main enclosure. However, other breaches remain, with that on NW a possibility, but too uncertain to include.
| 7: | None |
| 2: | Six other breaches in ramparts remain, with possibles. |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. In-turned (East): | None |
Substantial double ramparts and ditches mostly define the site, merging into scarps on E, downhill side. Outer ditch discontinuous, lacking on N and E. and poor on S. Third rampart on S damaged, with shallow ditch for half its length. Inner rampart is of earth and stone, highest on N side and generally between 2m and 4m high. Elsewhere ramparts variable in height.
| Area 1: | 0.88ha. |
| Total: | 0.88ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✓ | Annexe and outermost rampart to S appear later additions. |
| ✓ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SE Quadrant: | 3 |
| SW Quadrant: | 3 |
| NW Quadrant: | 2 |
| Total: | 3 |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✓ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✓ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✓ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
Inner rampart earth and stone.
| 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 |
| ✓ | Outer ditch discontinuous, lacking on N and E. |
Number of Ditches: 3
| ✓ | Main enclosure is pentangonal in form with an annexe on the W defined by bank up to 2m high internally but lower or absent on S and rising to 3.4m externally on junction of SW corner of main enclosure. Entrance to main enclosure through gap at N end. |
Savory, H.N. 1952. List of Hill-forts and other earthworks in Wales, III, Brecknockshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 14, 73.
Silvester, B. 2007. The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. Defended enclosures in Brecknock, CPAT Report No 859, Welshpool: CPAT.
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 59, 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