LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Dyfed 2003 (None)
NMR: SN 67 SE (302038)
SM: CD125
NGR: SN68747400
X: 268740 Y: 274000 (OSGB36)
Small contour hillfort on steep and prominent W-facing spur on the flanks of Coed Ty'n-y-cwm, above the central Afon Ystwyth and Nant Magwr. One of three similar forts in close proximity, Cnwc y Bugail being the most N fort, with Castell Disgwylfa (Atlas No. 2327) located 500m to S, and Coed Ty'n-y-Cwm nearby to E (Atlas No. 2812). Precipitous slopes to N and W, very steep to S. Measures 60m N-S by 70m, with internal area 0.42ha. Cnwc y Bugail is sub-rectangular in shape with single bank to 2.5 m high on S and E reducing to N. No ramparts on the precipitous W. To E rampart curves around at S point and back N for short distance to a minor summit dominating the SE approaches. No evidence for ditches. W entrance with quartz boulders lining possible entrance passage. 40m outside gate U-shaped mound forms a bastion or small annexe. On E side, flanking main approach from below, outwork 35m long scarped into hillslope, enhancing approach. Under improved pasture and well-preserved. On 1st Ed. OS map (1888). Minimal investigations, undated.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -437319 Y: 6863346 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.9285037542268952 Latitude: 52.34828382087631 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Ceredigion
Historic County: Cardiganshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Trawsgoed
Well-preserved.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Improved pasture. Encroached by forestry on W.
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✗ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Small contour hillfort defending steep and prominent W-facing spur on the flanks of Coed Tyn-y-cwm, above the central Afon Ystwyth and Nant Magwr. Precipitous slopes to N and W, very steep to S.
| 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: Spur
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✓ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✗ |
Altitude: 214.0m
N/A
None
Reliability: D - None
| Pre 1200BC | ✗ |
| 1200BC - 800BC | ✗ |
| 800BC - 400BC | ✗ |
| 400BC - AD50 | ✗ |
| AD50 - AD400 | ✗ |
| AD400 - AD 800 | ✗ |
| Post AD800 | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✓ |
| Pre Hillfort: | None |
| Post Hillfort: | None |
On 1st Ed. OS map (1888). Sketch survey, aided by hand-held GPS, completed by RCAHMW November 2003. Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey 2006.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1888): | OS map. |
| Earthwork Survey (2003): | T. Driver, RCAHMW. |
| Other (2006): | Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey. |
Possible small house platform and another visible on aerial photograps. Possible sling stone find.
Stream 0.2km outside fort.
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Possible small house platforms.
| No Known Features | ✗ |
| Round Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Rectangular Stone Structures | ✗ |
| Curvilinear Platforms | ✓ |
| Other Roundhouse Evidence | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Quarry Hollows | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
None
| 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 | ✗ |
Possible sling stone chance find.
| No Known Finds | ✗ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✓ |
| Environmental | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Aerial photographs indicate possible further house site.
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✓ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
W entrance with quartz boulders lining possible entrance passage. On E side, flanking main approach from below, outwork 35m long scarped into hillslope, enhancing approach.
| 1: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Passage-way/Corridor (West): | W entrance with quartz boulders lining possible entrance passage. |
| 1. Outworks (West): | 40m outside gate U-shaped mound forms a bastion or small annexe. |
Single bank to 2.5 m high on S and E reducing to N. No rampart on the precipitous W. To E rampart curves around at S point and back N for short distance to a minor summit dominating the SE approaches. No evidence for ditches.
| Area 1: | 0.42ha. |
| Total: | 0.42ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✗ | None |
| ✗ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SE Quadrant: | 1 |
| SW Quadrant: | 0 |
| NW Quadrant: | 1 |
| Total: | 1 |
| 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 |
| ✗ | None visible. |
Number of Ditches: 0
| ✓ | 40m outside gate U-shaped mound forms a bastion or small annexe. |
Driver, T. 2004. Cnwc y Bugail, Coed Ty'n-y-cwm, Trawsgoed, Ceredigion. A new sketch survey of a complex small hillfort in north Ceredigion. RCAHMW unpublished report, Aberystwyth: RCAHMW.
Driver, T. 2013. Architecture, Regional Identity and Power in the Iron Age landscapes of Mid Wales: The hillforts of north Ceredigion, BAR 583, Archaeopress.
Hogg, A.H.A. 1962. List of hill-forts in Cardiganshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 19, 360.
Murphy, K, Ramsey, R. and Page, M. 2006. A survey of defended enclosures in Ceredigion 2006: Gazetteer of Ordnance Survey Grid Square SN67, Project Report No. 2006/20, Project Record No. 54269, Llandeilo: Cambria Archaeology.
Rees, S. 1992. A guide to ancient and historic Wales - Dyfed, London: HMSO, 90.
Atlas of Hillforts:
Wikidata:
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