Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA2212 Pencaerau-Bach, Carmarthenshire

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Dyfed 2242 (None)

NMR:  SN 32 SW (303727)

SM:  None

NGR:  SN32282361

X:  232280  Y:  223610  (OSGB36)

Summary

Large overlooked inland promontory fort located on a SE-facing spur promontory above narrow, wooded, stream tributaries of the Afon Cywyn to NE, E and S. Steep surrounding slopes, slightly less on W. Overlooked by rising ground to W. Naturally protected by the steep natural slopes to N, SE and W, a curving ploughed-down rampart and ditch, c. 150m long, joins the two narrow stream valleys to NE and SW, an area of c. 120m N-S by 60m, with internal area c. 2ha. Two additional outer banks to W. Inner bank to 1.2m high, with good outer ditch. Middle bank to c. 60m long, has traces of ditch, whilst 60m long outer bank has well-defined ditch. Entrance through inner bank seems to be on S side. Both outer banks affected by hedge removal. Under improved pasture now, but formerly wooded. Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -494088  Y:  6779487  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.438471587312137  Latitude:  51.88571352017161  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Carmarthenshire

Historic County:  Carmarthenshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Trelech

Monument Condition

Hedgebank runs along most of inner bank. Both outer banks affected by hedge removal.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Under improved pasture now, but formerly wooded. Wooded to N, E and S.

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

Large overlooked inland promontory fort located on a SE-facing spur promontory above narrow, wooded, stream tributaries of the Afon Cywyn to NE, E and S. Steep surrounding slopes, slightly less on W.

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:  Spur

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

Altitude:  150.0m

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

Field Observation OS 1967. Field Observation DAT 1984, 2008. Dyfed Archaeological Trust defended enclosures survey 2007-2008.

Investigations:
Other (1967):   Field observation OS.
Other (None):   Field observation DAT.
Other (None):   Dyfed Archaeological Trust 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

Entrance through inner bank seems on S side.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (South west):   None

Enclosing Works

Naturally protected by the steep natural slopes to N, SE and W, a curving ploughed-down rampart and ditch, c. 150m long, joins the two narrow stream valleys to NE and SW. Two additional outer defensive banks protect site to W. Inner bank to 1.2m high, with good outer ditch. Middle bank to c. 60m long, has traces of ditch, whilst 60m long outer bank has well-defined ditch.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   2.0ha.
Total:   2.0ha.

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:   0
SW Quadrant:   1
NW Quadrant:   0
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

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

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:
✓   Inner and outer banks have well-defined ditches, middle bank has a trace visible.

Number of Ditches:  3

Annex:
✗   None

References

Murphy, F., Ramsey, R., Page, M. and Murphy, K. 2008. A Survey of Defended Enclosures in Carmarthenshire, 2007-08: Gazetteer of Ordnance Survey Grid Squares SN32, SN33 and SN34, Dyfed Archaeological Trust Report No. 2007/27, Project Record No. 62767, Llandeilo: Dyfed Archaeological Trust.

Royal Commission on the ancient and historical monuments and constructions in Wales and Monmouthshire 1917. An inventory of the ancient monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, V, Carmarthen, 756, London: HMSO.

Savory, H.N. 1954. List of hill-forts and other earthworks in Carmarthenshire. Bull Board Celtic Stud, 16, 59.



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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