LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
Scroll left/right to view further images.
HER: Glamorgan Gwent 00049g (None)
NMR: ST 28 NE (93429)
SM: MM084
NGR: ST28958684
X: 328950 Y: 186840 (OSGB36)
Contour hillfort sited in prominent location above the River Ebbw and mouth of the River Usk to the River Severn. Moderate to strong slopes surround the hilltop on all sides Large internal area of 4.65ha with 0.9ha annexe. Multiple ramparts are widespread on S and of two periods. An inner enclosure of c. 142m from NE to SW by 70m-12m, pentagonal in shape, has single bank and ditch and counterscarp, strongest on S and W. An roughly concentric outer enclosure is defended by massive bank and ditch, especially large on NW where level ground. Counterscarp on W. Another outer enclosure or annexe on the S. Entrance to inner enclosure probably on the SE, but gaps on N, S and W are of unknown origin. Gaps in outer enclosure may be original. Medieval ring motte inside the Iron Age defences, itself with a sub-rectangular bailey. Damaged and setting affected by development. On 1st Ed. OS map (1882). Minimal investigations, undated.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -336931 Y: 6723800 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.0267058086503367 Latitude: 51.575882398952864 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Newport
Historic County: Monmouthshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Gaer
Setting affected by development and M4. On E outer ditches destroyed by quarrying. Inner enclosure disfigured by old golf course tee and bunker. Public access.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✓ |
Grassland with bracken and scattered trees. Now in parkland behind a housing estate with old golf course.Ring motte. Quarrying.
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✓ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✗ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
Contour hillfort sited in prominent location above the River Ebbw and mouth of the River Usk to the River Severn. Moderate to strong slopes surround the hilltop on all sides Large
| 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: 90.0m
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: | Medieval ring motte inside the Iron Age defences, itself with a sub-rectangular bailey. |
On 1st Ed. OS map (1882). GGAT Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan survey 2005.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1882): | OS map |
| Other (2005): | Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan 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 | ✗ |
Entrance to inner enclosure possibly on SE, but more gaps on N, S and W are of unknown origin. Gaps in outer enclosure may be original but undefined.
| 8: | Four gaps in inner and four gaps in outer circuits. Two gaps in annexe. |
| 2: | More entrances certain but undefined |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (South east): | Possible inner enclosure entrance. |
An inner enclosure of c. 142m from NE to SW by 70m-12m, pentagonal in shape, has single bank and ditch and couterscarp, strongest on S and W. An roughly concentric outer enclosure is defended by massive bank and ditch, especially large on NW where level ground. Counterscarp on W. Another outer enclosure or annexe on the S.
| Area 1: | 4.65ha. |
| Total: | 4.65ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | Outer bank on S not included in quadrants as possibly an annexe. |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SW Quadrant: | 2 |
| NW Quadrant: | 2 |
| 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 | ✗ |
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: 2
| ✓ | Outer enclosure or annexe on the S of 0.9ha measuring c. 310m from NE-SW by 263m overall. |
Gerrard, C., Wiggins, H., and Evans, E. 2006. Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan with recommendations for fieldwork: Year 3 Report, GGAT Report No 2006/089, Project No GGAT78, Swansea: GGAT.
Houlder, C. 1978. Wales: An archaeological guide the prehistoric , Roman and early medieval field monuments. London: Faber and Faber, 140.
Savory, H.N. 1950. List of Hill-forts and other earthworks in Wales. II Monmouthshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud 13, 233.
Whittle, E. 1992. A guide to ancient and historic Wales - Glamorgan and Gwent, London: HMSO, 46-7.
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