Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA1885 Castell Gwyn, Llandissilio, Pembrokeshire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Dyfed 920 (None)

NMR:  SN 12 SW (304294)

SM:  PE225(PEM)

NGR:  SN 1100 2175

X:  211000  Y:  221750  (OSGB36)

Summary

Multiple enclosure fort sited on a SW-facing ridge-top spur, above a sharp bend of the Eastern Cleddau. Steep surrounding slopes to N and W, moderate to E and S. Castell Gwyn II (Atlas No. 2101) nearby to WSW. Site overall c. 140m - 150m across, with interior bivallate enclosure c. 55m NNW-SSE by 30m internally, set within horseshoe-shaped outer enclosure. N straight side falls c. 50m below scarp edge to wooded valley below forming natural defence. Inner enclosure defined by two ploughed banks and ditches on its S side, with only one bank and ditch around entire circuit. Simple SW entrance. Rampart of outer horseshoe-shaped enclosure close to S side of inner enclosure, forming, in effect, a multivallate enclosuree for the entire site, but elsewhere it diverges. On W of this outer circuit bank best and to 2m high above ditch bottom, with good counterscarp. On E side defences overlain and affected by hedge-line. Also with simple SW entrance. Possibly phased construction but undated. Under improved pasture apart from hedge on E. On 1st Ed. OS map (1889).

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -528356  Y:  6775248  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.746299323998755  Latitude:  51.86219962274139  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Pembrokeshire

Historic County:  Pembrokeshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Llandissilio West

Monument Condition

Fair condition. Affected by hedgeline on E side.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Under pasture. Wooded slopes to N.

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

Multiple enclosure fort sited on a SW-facing ridge-top spur, above a sharp bend of the Eastern Cleddau. Steep surrounding slopes to N and W, moderate to E and S.

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:  Scarp edge

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  91.0m

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 (1889). Field Observation OS 1975. Field Observation DAT 1981, 1986. Field Observation CADW 1991, 2002. Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey 2006-2007.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1889):   OS map.
Other (1975):   Field observation OS.
Other (None):   Field observation DAT.
Other (None):   Field observation CADW.
Other (None):   Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey.

Interior Features

None

Water Source

Eastern Cleddau 0.1 km outside fort.

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

Simple gap entrances on SW to both inner and outer enclosures.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
2:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (South west):   Inner enclosure entrance.
2. Simple Gap (South west):   Outer enclosure entrance.

Enclosing Works

Inner enclosure defined by two ploughed banks and ditches on its S side, with only one bank and ditch around entire circuit. Rampart of outer horseshoe-shaped enclosure close to S side of inner enclosure, forming, in effect, a multivallate defence for the entire site, but elsewhere it diverges. On W of this outer circuit bank best and to 2m high above ditch bottom, with good counterscarp.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.94ha.
Total:   0.94ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✓   Morphology suggests phased construction, but no details.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

Number of Ramparts:  
NE Quadrant:   2
SE Quadrant:   3
SW Quadrant:   3
NW Quadrant:   2
Total:   3

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

Counterscarp to outer rampart.

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:
✓   Two ditches to inner enclosure, one to outer.

Number of Ditches:  3

Annex:
✗   None

References

Crossley, D.W. 1963. List of Hill-Forts and other earthworks in Pembrokeshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 20, 190.

Murphy, K., Ramsey, R., Poucher, P. and Page, M. 2007. A Survey of Defended Enclosures in Pembrokeshire, 2006-2007: Gazetteer of Ordnance Survey Grid Squares SN10, SN11 and SN12. Cambria Archaeology Report No. 2007/01, Project Record No. 54269, Llandeilo: Cambria Archaeology.

RCAMWM 1925. An inventory of the ancient monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, VII, County of Pembroke, London: HMSO, No. 446.



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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