Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA1893 Castell Mawr, Meline, Pembrokeshire (Parc Castell)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Dyfed 983 (None)

NMR:  SN 13 NW (304047)

SM:  PE172(PEM)

NGR:  SN 1188 3778

X:  211880  Y:  237780  (OSGB36)

Summary

Larger sized for the area bivallate contour hillfort located on rounded summit of hill above the Afon Nyfer opposite its confluence with the Afon Brynberian. Moderate to strong surrounding slopes on N, E and W, steep on S. Survey, geophysical survey and excavation in 2012 by M. Parker-Pearson linked to possible Neolithic origins of the hillfort and possible earlier ritual or ceremonial henge enclosure reused in the Iron Age (no further details). Oval in shape measuring c. 130m SE-NW by 130m, with internal area 1.52ha. An inner bank rises to 2m above a wide shallow ditch, with the outer bank to over 3m exterior and dominating the inner bank in places. Outer ditch nearly ploughed out. Field bank runs along outer bank's crest. Interior divided into two fields by curving rampart NE-S to 2m high on W, with shallow ditch. Simple gap entrance on E, with modern gap on SE side and breach through outer bank on N. Remains of hut possibly in SW corner where there is a depression. Pasture interior, scrub on banks. On 1st Ed. OS map (1889). Undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -527911  Y:  6801293  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.742303211576497  Latitude:  52.00645783486396  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Pembrokeshire

Historic County:  Pembrokeshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Eglwyswrw

Monument Condition

Interior divided into two fields by curving rampart NE-S.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Pasture interior, scrub on banks.

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

Larger sized for the area bivallate contour hillfort located on rounded summit of hill above the Afon Nyfer opposite its confluence with the Afon Brynberian. Moderate to strong surrounding slopes on N, E and W, steep on 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:  Hill top

Aspect:
North  
Northeast  
East  
Southeast  
South  
Southwest  
West  
Northwest  
Level  

Altitude:  140.0m

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:   Possible earlier ritual or ceremonial henge enclosure reused in the Iron Age.
Post Hillfort:   None

Evidence:No related records

Investigation History

On 1st Ed. OS map (1889). Full Survey G.H. Williams 1969. Field Observation OS 1974. Field Observation C.M. Stenger 1979. Field Observation DAT 1981. Partial geophysical survey in 1988. Field Observation CADW 1996. Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey 2006-2007. Survey, geophysical survey and excavation at the site in 2012 by Prof. Mike Parker-Pearson linked to possible Neolithic origins of the hillfort/henge and ongoing work at Craig Rhosyfelin quarry - no further details.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1889):   OS map.
Other (1969):   Full Survey G.H. Williams.
Other (1973):   Visited by Hillfort Study Group
Other (1974):   Field Observation OS.
Other (1979):   Field Observation C.M. Stenger.
Other (1981):   Field observation DAT.
Other (1996):   Field observation CADW.
Excavation (2012):   M Parker-Pearson geophysical survey and excavation.
Other (None):   Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey

Interior Features

Remains of hut possibly in SW corner where there is a depression. Tanged iron spearhead was found in the field to S. No details of geophysics and excavation.

Water Source

Afon Nyfer 0.35 km outside fort.

Source:
None  
Spring  
Stream  
Pool  
Flush  
Well  
Other  

Surface

Remains of hut possibly in SW corner where there is a depression.

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

Excavation

No details of excavation.

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

Geophysics

No details of surveys.

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

Finds

Tanged iron spearhead was found in the field to S.

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 entrance on E, with modern gap on SE side and breach through outer bank on N.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
3:   Modern gap on SE side and breach through outer bank on N.

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (East):   None

Enclosing Works

An inner bank rises to 2m above a wide shallow ditch, with the outer bank to over 3m exterior and dominating the inner bank in places. Outer ditch nearly ploughed out. Field bank runs along outer bank's crest. Interior divided into two fields by curving rampart NE-S to 2m high on W, with shallow ditch.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   1.52ha.
Total:   1.52ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✓   Possibly two phased.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   None

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

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

None

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

No details.

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:
✓   Outer ditch nearly ploughed out.

Number of Ditches:  2

Annex:
✗   None

References

Crossley, D.W. 1963. List of Hill-Forts and other earthworks in Pembrokeshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 20, 189.

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 SN03, SN13 and SN23. 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. 684.



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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