LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Dyfed 7648 (None)
NMR: SN 40 SW (275696)
SM: CM221(CAM)
NGR: SN42400210
X: 242400 Y: 202100 (OSGB36)
Partial contour hillfort located on low knoll on W-facing spur above Pembury Burrows and estuary of River Loughor to S. Lowlands to Gwendraeth to N. Steep slopes to N, S and W, moderate along spur ridge to E. Located on edge of Court Wood. Single rampart, to 2.5m high externally, encloses c. 0.25ha of the knoll, with additional length of bank and internal ditch running tangentially to main body of the enclosure on NW. Ditch traceable, especially on N and E. Excavated in advance of tree planting by DAT 1977 finding at least three phases of structure. Latest, post bank phase, was undated structure of a rectangular arrangement of postholes with associated paving. Below this an undated bank and ditch. Below the bank was a sealed layer containing occupation debris and some structural features. Charcoal from this deposit yielded a C14 date of 335-45 BC. To rear of bank eroded traces of occupation, including a setting of four postholes in a 3m square. No entrance defined. On E under improved pasture, where good N bank. Larger part of site adjoins forestry on W, although not afforested itself. Here interior and defences overgrown with gorse, shrubby oak trees and wood, brambles and bracken.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -476645 Y: 6745240 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -4.2817763852797155 Latitude: 51.69542117122893 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Carmarthenshire
Historic County: Carmarthenshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Pembury and Burry Port Town
No details.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
On E under improved pasture, where good N bank. Larger part of site adjoins forestry on W, although not afforested itself. Here interior and defences overgrown with gorse, shrubby oak trees and wood, brambles and bracken.
| Woodland | ✓ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✓ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Contour hillfort located on low knoll on W-facing spur above Pembury Burrows and estuary of River Loughor to S. Lowlands to Gwendraeth to N. Steep slopes to N, S and W, moderate along spur ridge to E.
| Contour Fort | ✓ |
| Partial Contour Fort | ✗ |
| Promontory Fort | ✗ |
| Hillslope Fort | ✗ |
| Level Terrain Fort | ✗ |
| Marsh Fort | ✗ |
| Multiple Enclosure Fort | ✗ |
| Hilltop | ✗ |
| Coastal Promontory | ✗ |
| Inland Promontory | ✗ |
| Valley Bottom | ✗ |
| Knoll/Hillock/Outcrop | ✓ |
| Ridge | ✗ |
| Cliff/Plateau-edge/Scarp | ✗ |
| Hillslope | ✗ |
| Lowland | ✗ |
| Spur | ✓ |
Dominant Topographic Feature: Knoll
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✓ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✗ |
Altitude: 90.0m
N/A
Charcoal from deposit yielded C14 date of 335-45 BC.
Reliability: B - Medium
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✓ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | None |
| C14: | None |
Part Excavation DAT 1977. Field Observation CADW 1994, 1999. Field Observation DAT 1983, 2007. Dyfed Archaeological Trust defended enclosures survey 2007-2008.
| Excavation (1977): | DAT. |
| Other (None): | Field observation DAT. |
| Other (None): | Dyfed Archaeological Trust defended enclosures survey |
From latest, post bank phase, undated structure of a rectangular arrangement of postholes with associated paving. Below this an undated bank and ditch. Below the bank was a sealed layer containing occupation debris and some structural features. Charcoal from this deposit yielded a radio carbon date of 335 _ 45bc. To rear of bank eroded traces of occupation, including a setting of four postholes in a 3m square.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| No Known Features | ✓ |
| Round Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms | ✗ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
From latest, post bank phase, undated structure of a rectangular arrangement of postholes with associated paving. Below this an undated bank and ditch. Below the bank was a sealed layer containing occupation debris and some structural features. Charcoal from this deposit yielded a radio carbon date of 335 _ 45bc. To rear of bank eroded traces of occupation, including a setting of four postholes in a 3m square.
| No Known Excavation | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✓ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✓ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
None
| No Known Geophysics | ✓ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| Nothing Found | ✗ |
Charcoal found in excavation.
| No Known Finds | ✗ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✗ |
| Environmental | ✓ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| APs Not Checked | ✓ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None defined.
| 0: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
Single rampart, to 2.5m high externally, encloses c. 0.25ha of the knoll, with additional length of bank and internal ditch running tangentially to main body of the enclosure on NW. Ditch traceable, especially on N and E.
| Area 1: | 0.25ha. |
| Total: | 0.25ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SW Quadrant: | 1 |
| NW Quadrant: | 2 |
| Total: | 2 |
| Partial Univallate | ✓ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✓ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Rubble | ✗ |
| Wall-walk | ✗ |
| Evidence of Timber | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| None | ✗ |
| Earthen Bank | ✓ |
| Stone Wall | ✗ |
| Murus Duplex | ✗ |
| Timber-framed | ✗ |
| Timber-laced | ✗ |
| Vitrification | ✗ |
| Other Burning | ✗ |
| Palisade | ✗ |
| Counter Scarp Bank | ✗ |
| Berm | ✗ |
| Unfinished | ✗ |
| No Known Excavation | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
| ✗ | None |
| ✓ | Ditch traceable, especially on N and E. |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✗ | None |
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 SN40, SN41, SN42, SN43 AND SN44, Dyfed Archaeological Trust Report No. 2007/27, Project Record No. 62767, Llandeilo: Dyfed Archaeological Trust.
Atlas of Hillforts:
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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