Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA1509 Graig-y-Saeson, Monmouthshire (y Gaer; Coed-y-Defaid)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Glamorgan Gwent 00057g (None)

NMR:  ST 28 NE 14 (307812)

SM:  MM134

NGR:  ST27338621

X:  327330  Y:  186200  (OSGB36)

Summary

Prominent but small angular, partial contour hillfort sited on prominent hill above the confluences of the Ebbw River to NE and mouth of the River Usk, slightly to SW of hill summit. Steep surrounding slopes, less so on S and SW. Measures c. 80m E-W by 70m and 0.52ha internal area. Defined by bank and ditch and possible counterscarp, with an apparent spur-ditch extending from the S side of the E-facing entrance. Part-wooded with tracks through entrances on E and W and modern gap on S. Near intact. On 1st Ed. OS map (1882-83). Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -339519  Y:  6722732  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -3.049946633608891  Latitude:  51.569921977171184  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Newport

Historic County:  Monmouthshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Coedkernew

Monument Condition

Near intact. Tracks run through entrances E-W and through modern entrance on S.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Grass and woodland.

Current Use:
Woodland   ✓
Commercial Forestry Plantation   ✗
Parkland   ✗
Pasture (Grazing)   ✓
Arable   ✗
Scrub/Bracken   ✗
Bare Outcrop   ✗
Heather/Moorland   ✗
Heath   ✗
Built-up   ✗
Coastal Grassland   ✗
Other   ✗

Landscape

Hillfort Type

Prominent but small, angular, partial contour hillfort sited on prominent hill above the confluences of the Ebbw River to NE and mouth of the River Usk, slightly to SW of hill summit. Steep surrounding slopes, less so on S and SW.

Type:
Contour Fort   ✗
Partial Contour Fort   ✓
Promontory Fort   ✗
Hillslope Fort   ✗
Level Terrain Fort   ✗
Marsh Fort   ✗
Multiple Enclosure Fort   ✗

Topographic Position

Position:
Hilltop   ✓
Coastal Promontory   ✗
Inland Promontory   ✗
Valley Bottom   ✗
Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop   ✗
Ridge   ✗
Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp   ✗
Hillslope   ✗
Lowland   ✗
Spur   ✗

Dominant Topographic Feature:  Hill top

Aspect:
North   ✗
Northeast   ✗
East   ✗
Southeast   ✗
South   ✗
Southwest   ✓
West   ✗
Northwest   ✗
Level   ✗

Altitude:  112.0m

Boundary

N/A


Dating Evidence

None

Reliability:  D - None

Principal Activity:
Pre 1200BC   ✗
1200BC - 800BC   ✗
800BC - 400BC   ✗
400BC - AD50   ✗
AD50 - AD400   ✗
AD400 - AD 800   ✗
Post AD800   ✗
Unknown   ✓

Other Activity:
Pre Hillfort:   None
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

On 1st Ed. OS map (1882-83). GGAT Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan survey 2005.

Investigations:
Other (2005):   GGAT Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan survey.
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   OS map

Interior Features

None

Water Source

None

Source:
None   ✓
Spring   ✗
Stream   ✗
Pool   ✗
Flush   ✗
Well   ✗
Other   ✗

Surface

None

Interior Features (Surface):
No Known Features   ✓
Round Stone Structures   ✗
Rectangular Stone Structures   ✗
Curvilinear Platforms   ✗
Other Roundhouse Evidence   ✗
Pits   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗

Excavation

None

Interior Features (Excavation):
No Known Excavation   ✓
Pits   ✗
Postholes   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗
Nothing Found   ✗

Geophysics

None

Interior Features (Geophysics):
No Known Geophysics   ✓
Pits   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Quarry Hollows   ✗
Other   ✗
Nothing Found   ✗

Finds

None

Interior (Finds):
No Known Finds   ✓
Pottery   ✗
Metal   ✗
Metalworking   ✗
Human Bones   ✗
Animal Bones   ✗
Lithics   ✗
Environmental   ✗
Other   ✗

Aerial

None

Interior Features (Aerial):
APs Not Checked   ✓
None   ✗
Roundhouses   ✗
Rectangular Structures   ✗
Pits   ✗
Postholes   ✗
Roads/Tracks   ✗
Other   ✗

Entrances

E and W entrances, that on E possibly slightly inturned, that on W simple gap. Modern forest track through modern gap on S.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
3:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   Modern forest track through modern gap on S.

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:
1. In-turned (East):   Possible slighty inturned.
2. Simple Gap (West):   None

Enclosing Works

Defined by bank and ditch and possible counterscarp, with an apparent spur-ditch extending from the S side of the E-facing entrance.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.52ha.
Total:   0.52ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   1
SE Quadrant:   1
SW Quadrant:   1
NW Quadrant:   1
Total:   1

Morphology

Current Morphology:
Partial Univallate   ✗
Univallate   ✓
Partial Bivallate   ✗
Bivallate   ✗
Partial Multivallate   ✗
Multivallate   ✗
Unknown   ✗

Detailed Morphology:
Partial Univallate   ✗
Univallate   ✗
Partial Bivallate   ✗
Bivallate   ✗
Partial Multivallate   ✗
Multivallate   ✗

Surface Evidence

Possible counterscarp.

Enclosing Works (Surface):
None   ✗
Earthen Bank   ✓
Stone Wall   ✗
Rubble   ✗
Wall-walk   ✗
Evidence of Timber   ✗
Vitrification   ✗
Other Burning   ✗
Palisade   ✗
Counter Scarp Bank   ✓
Berm   ✗
Unfinished   ✗
Other   ✗

Excavated Evidence

None

Enclosing Works (Excavation):
None   ✗
Earthen Bank   ✗
Stone Wall   ✗
Murus Duplex   ✗
Timber-framed   ✗
Timber-laced   ✗
Vitrification   ✗
Other Burning   ✗
Palisade   ✗
Counter Scarp Bank   ✗
Berm   ✗
Unfinished   ✗
No Known Excavation   ✓
Other   ✗

Other

Gang Working:
✗   None

Ditches:
✓   None

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None

References

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.

Savory, H.N. 1950. List of Hill-forts and other earthworks in Wales. II Monmouthshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 13, 234.



Terms of Use

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


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