Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA2092 Caerau Gaer, Llandewi Velfrey, Pembrokeshire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Dyfed 4905 (None)

NMR:  SN 11 NW 5 (3042456)

SM:  PE176(PEM)

NGR:  SN 1398 1610

X:  213980  Y:  216100  (OSGB36)

Summary

Univallate partial contour hillfort located near SW-facing top of hill above the confluence of the Afon Marlais with the Afon Taf. Large size for single bank enclosure, 0.7ha. Steep slopes to E, S and W, moderate rise to NE. Overlooked. Egg-shaped measuring c. 105m N-S by 88m with annexe on E. Single bank of earth and stone and ditch defends main enclosure, bank to 2m externally, ditch now hardly visible, apart from section on E. Trace of an outwork c. 91m to NE. Three gaps for access through rampart on NE, S and W. Original entrance disputed and unclear, but possibly on NE. Bivallate annexe c. 110m N-S by and 70m on E, its outer bank c. 85m from main enclosure. Pasture interior with former scrub on banks cleared. Part plough spread. On 1st Ed. OS map (1889). Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -523205  Y:  6766286  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.7000336793816455  Latitude:  51.81245804274899  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Pembrokeshire

Historic County:  Pembrokeshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Llanddewi Velfrey

Monument Condition

Plough-spread in part.

Condition:
Extant  
Cropmark  
Likely Destroyed  

Land Use

Pasture interior with former scrub on banks cleared.

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

Univallate partial contour hillfort located near SW-facing top of hill above the confluence of the Afon Marlais with the Afon Taf. Large size for area single bank enclosure. Steep slopes to E, S and W, moderate rise to NE. Overlooked.

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:  120.0m

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 1965, 1975. Field Observation AMB 1981. Field Observation DAT 2002, 2006. Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey 2006-2007.

Investigations:
1st Identified Map Depiction (1889):   OS map.
Other (1981):   Field observation AMB.
Other (None):   Field observation OS.
Other (None):   Field observation DAT.
Other (None):   Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey.

Interior Features

None

Water Source

Stream 0.2km 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

Three gaps through rampart on NE, S and W. Original entrance disputed and unclear, but possibly on NE. Trace of an outwork c. 91 m to NE.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
3:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  

Chevaux de Frise:  

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (North east):   Possible only.

Enclosing Works

Single bank of earth and stone and ditch defends main enclosure, bank to 2m externally, ditch now hardly visible, apart from section on E.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.7ha.
Total:   0.7ha.

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

Earth and stone bank.

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:
✓   Only visible for c. 46m stretch on E.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✓   Annexe c. 110m N-S by and 70m on E. Unusual in being bivallate with widely-spaced banks. Inner bank lies c. 55m from main enclosure with outer bank 30m further out. Both these banks only visible for c. 90m - plough-spread and only survive up to 0.3m - 0.6m high. However, their S ends run into the steep E hillside which provides natural defence.

References

Crossley, D.W. 1963. List of Hill-Forts and other earthworks in Pembrokeshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 20, 197.

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: Pembrokeshire Inventory No. 214; RCAMWM 1925. An inventory of the ancient monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, VII, County of Pembroke, London: HMSO, No. 421.



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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