Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA2228 Top Castle, Carmarthenshire

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

HER:  Dyfed 3665 (None)

NMR:  SN 10 NE (304232)

SM:  CM039(CAM)

NGR:  SN19450773

X:  219450  Y:  207730  (OSGB36)

Summary

Small partial contour hillfort, dramatically sited in commanding position on a very prominent and high SW-facing spur/bluff overlooking Marros Sands and the sea at junction of a stream with Marros Sands. Steep surrounding slopes to N, S and W , less along bluff to NE where rises to Marros Beacon. at 125m O.D. Exposed position. Internal area 0.6ha. Single bank and ditch, the bank to 2.5m high externally, with ditch to 0.6m deep on E, less clear elsewhere. Scarped terrace on SW. Hedge bank on E may be re-used outer bank. Entrance on NE possible original, but now used for vehicular access. Under rough grazing, with bramble, gorse and bracken to varying degrees. On OS 1:25,000 map (1937-1961). Minimal investigations, undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -513897  Y:  6753084  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.616416320609452  Latitude:  51.73907445908405  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Carmarthenshire

Historic County:  Carmarthenshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Eglwyscummin

Monument Condition

Fair condition.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Under rough grazing, with bramble, gorse and bracken to varying degrees. Surrounding woodland to N and W. Rock outcrops on surrounding slopes.

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

Small partial contour hillfort, dramatically sited in commanding position on a very prominent and high SW-facing end of ridge bluff overlooking Marros Sands and the sea at junction of a stream with Marros Sands. Steep surrounding slopes to N, S and W , less along bluff to NE where rises to Marros Beacon.

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:  Ridge

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

Altitude:  100.0m

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 OS 1:25,000 map (1937-1961). Field Observation OS 1967. Field Observation DAT 1985, 1994, 1996, 2004. Field Observation CADW 1994, 2001. Dyfed Archaeology defended enclosures survey 2007-2008.

Investigations:
Other (1967):   Field Observation OS.
1st Identified Map Depiction (None):   None
Other (None):   Field Observation DAT
Other (None):   Field Observation CADW
Other (None):   Dyfed Archaeology defended enclosures survey

Interior Features

None

Water Source

Stream 0.15km 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 on NE possible original, but now used for vehicular access.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   None

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:
1. Simple Gap (East):   None

Enclosing Works

Defended by single bank and ditch, the bank to 2.5m high externally, with ditch to 0.6m deep on E, less clear elsewhere. Scarped terrace on SW. Hedge bank on E may be re-used outer bank

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   0.6ha.
Total:   0.6ha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   None

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   Hedge bank on E may be re-used outer bank; not included in quadrants.

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

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:
✓   Ditch to 0.6m deep on E, less clear elsewhere.

Number of Ditches:  1

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 SN01, SN02, SN10, SN11 and SN12, 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, 619, London: HMSO.

Savory, H.N. 1954. List of hill-forts and other earthworks in Carmarthenshire. Bull Board Celtic Stud, 16, 60.



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


Document Version 1.1