LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade
Satellite Imagery
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HER: Dyfed 2037 (None)
NMR: SN 76 NW (300618)
SM: CD033
NGR: SN70926878
X: 270920 Y: 268780 (OSGB36)
Dramatically sited contour hillfort, aligned NE and located on very prominent ridge overlooking shallow valley and slopes to Afon Ystwyth on NW side with commanding views across N fringes of Cors Caron to SE. On W side fort built at edge of precipitous cliff; on E slopes more gradual. Elongated oval in plan, measuring c. 188m NE-SW by 80m, c. 0.7ha enclosed. Defined by two ramparts, but not contiguous and possible phased construction suggested. Occupying a strong position on the hill, and incorporating rock outcrops on S side, the inner circuit is slighter, with no outer ditch and a few traces of stone walling on S side. In contrast, outer circuit has bank to c. 10m by 2m high overall with strong outer rock-cut ditch, especially on N flanking the gateway, and on S side. Good traces of stone walling on its outer face. Davies and Hogg (1994, 268) suggest space between outer rampart and outwork as annexe between entrance trackway and the cliff edge. Main entrance on NE tip approached by well-defined trackway through terminals of both ramparts and flanked by high additional outwork on its NW side. E terminal of inner rampart possibly enlarged to form small bastion flanking the gateway. Small postern gate 1.3m wide on SW side flanked by good rock-cut ditch. Oblique trackway cuts through both sets of defences on the E, possibly later, with possibility early medieval/medieval re-use. At least three house platforms inside the fort and many more can be seen on aerial photographs taken in winter conditions. On 1st Ed. OS map (1888). Minimal investigations, undated.
Citizen Science: ✗
Reliability of Data: Confirmed
Reliability of Interpretation: Confirmed
X: -433535 Y: 6854898 (EPSG: 3857)
Longitude: -3.894512483937779 Latitude: 52.301897600761336 (EPSG:4326)
Country: Wales
Current County or Unitary Authority: Ceredigion
Historic County: Cardiganshire
Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland: Ystrad Meurig
Fair condition.
| Extant | ✓ |
| Cropmark | ✗ |
| Likely Destroyed | ✗ |
Rough upland grass and moorland and bare rock.
| Woodland | ✗ |
| Commercial Forestry Plantation | ✗ |
| Parkland | ✗ |
| Pasture (Grazing) | ✓ |
| Arable | ✗ |
| Scrub/Bracken | ✗ |
| Bare Outcrop | ✗ |
| Heather/Moorland | ✓ |
| Heath | ✗ |
| Built-up | ✗ |
| Coastal Grassland | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Dramatically sited contour hillfort, aligned NE and located on very prominent ridge overlooking shallow valley and slopes to Afon Ystwyth on NW side with commanding views across N fringes of Cors Caron to SE. On W side fort built at edge of precipitous cliff; on E slopes more gradual.
| 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: Hill top
| North | ✗ |
| Northeast | ✗ |
| East | ✗ |
| Southeast | ✗ |
| South | ✗ |
| Southwest | ✗ |
| West | ✗ |
| Northwest | ✗ |
| Level | ✓ |
Altitude: 330.0m
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: | Oblique trackway cuts through both sets of defences on the E, possibly later, with possibility early medieval/medieval re-use. |
On 1st Ed. OS map (1888). Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey 2006.
| 1st Identified Map Depiction (1888): | OS map. |
| Other (2006): | Cambria Archaeology defended enclosures survey |
At least three house platforms inside the fort and many more can be seen on aerial photographs taken in winter conditions.
None
| None | ✓ |
| Spring | ✗ |
| Stream | ✗ |
| Pool | ✗ |
| Flush | ✗ |
| Well | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
At least three house platforms inside the fort, with possibly many more.
| 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 | ✗ |
None
| No Known Finds | ✓ |
| Pottery | ✗ |
| Metal | ✗ |
| Metalworking | ✗ |
| Human Bones | ✗ |
| Animal Bones | ✗ |
| Lithics | ✗ |
| Environmental | ✗ |
| Other | ✗ |
Many hut terraces can be seen on aerial photographs in the interior taken in winter conditions.
| APs Not Checked | ✗ |
| None | ✗ |
| Roundhouses | ✗ |
| Rectangular Structures | ✗ |
| Pits | ✗ |
| Postholes | ✗ |
| Roads/Tracks | ✗ |
| Other | ✓ |
Main entrance on NE tip approached by well-defined trackway through terminals of both ramparts and flanked by high additional outwork on NW side. E terminal of inner rampart possibly enlarged to form small bastion flanking the gateway. Small postern gate 1.3m wide on SW side flanked by good rock-cut ditch. Oblique trackway cuts through both sets of defences on the E, possibly later, with possibility early medieval/medieval re-use.
| 2: | None |
| 2: | None |
Guard Chambers: ✗
Chevaux de Frise: ✗
| 1. Simple Gap (North east): | Main entrance on NE tip approached by well-defined trackway through terminals of both ramparts and flanked by high additional outwork on its NW side. E terminal of inner rampart possibly enlarged to form small bastion flanking the gateway. |
| 1. Outworks (North east): | Flanked by high additional outwork on NW side. |
| 2. Postern Gate (South west): | Small postern gate 1.3m wide on SW side flanked by good rock-cut ditch. |
Defined by two ramparts, but not contiguous and possible phased construction suggested. Occupying a strong position on the hill, and incorporating rock outcrops on S side, the inner circuit is slighter,with no outer ditch and a few traces of stone walling on S side. In contrast outer circuit has bank to c. 10m by 2m high overall with strong outer rock-cut ditch, especially on N flanking the gateway, and on S side. Good traces of stone walling on its outer face. Hogg and Davies (1994, 268) suggest space between outer rampart and outwork as annexe between entrance trackway and the cliff edge.
| Area 1: | 0.7ha. |
| Total: | 0.7ha. |
Total Footprint Area: Noneha.
None
| ✓ | Defined by two ramparts, but not contiguous and possible phased construction suggested, but not proven. |
| ✓ | None |
| NE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SE Quadrant: | 2 |
| SW Quadrant: | 2 |
| NW Quadrant: | 2 |
| Total: | 2 |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✓ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
| Unknown | ✗ |
| Partial Univallate | ✗ |
| Univallate | ✗ |
| Partial Bivallate | ✗ |
| Bivallate | ✗ |
| Partial Multivallate | ✗ |
| Multivallate | ✗ |
Stone walling visible.
| 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 |
| ✓ | Rock-cut ditches. |
Number of Ditches: 1
| ✓ | Possible annexe. Davies and Hogg (1994, 268) suggest space between outer rampart and outwork as annexe between entrance trackway and the cliff edge. |
Davies, J. L. and Hogg, A. H. A. 1994. The Iron Age, in eds Davies, J.L. and Kirby, D.A.. Cardiganshire County History, Vol 1, From the earliest times to the coming of the Normans, Cardiff: University of Wales Press.
Driver, T. 2005. The Hillforts of North Ceredigion: Architecture, Landscape Setting and Cultural Contexts, PhD thesis, The University of Wales, Lampeter, unpublished.
Driver, T. 2013. Architecture, Regional Identity and Power in the Iron Age Landscapes of Mid Wales : The Hillforts of North Ceredigion. Oxford, Archaeopress: British Archaeological Report 583.
Murphy, K, Ramsey, R. and Page, M. 2006. A survey of defended enclosures in Ceredigion 2006: Gazetteer of Ordnance Survey Grid Squares SN75, SN76, SN77 and SN78, Project Report No. 2006/20, Project Record No. 54269, Llandeilo: Cambria Archaeology.
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