Atlas of Hillforts of Britain and Ireland

WA2610 Caer Pencraig, Ty'n y Caeau, Caernarfonshire (Caer Pen Craig; Ty'n y Caeau)

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

LiDAR 1m DTM Hillshade

Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

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HER:  Gwynedd 50 (None)

NMR:  SH 56 NE (275730)

SM:  CN195

NGR:  SH59306730

X:  259339  Y:  367317  (OSGB36)

Summary

Small hillfort occupying a prominent rocky hill above the Afon Cegin to W and Afgon Ogwen to E. Steep cliff face on S side and steep slopes to N and W. The ramparts are low but can be seen below the modern field wall on the W side. E side also has a ditch, rock-cut in places which may also have had an accompanying bank. Enclosed area not established. A hollow way leads to the entrance and is almost certainly the original entrance way. First recorded by H. D. Hughes 1866. Site investigated by Llanllechid and Llandygai Archaeology Society (CALL) and Gwynedd Archaeological Trust. Surveyed 1986-87 by MSC scheme. Rough upland grass, scrub and bare rock. Undated.

Status

Citizen Science:  ✗

Reliability of Data:  Confirmed

Reliability of Interpretation:  Confirmed

Location

X:  -457135  Y:  7017159  (EPSG: 3857)

Longitude:  -4.106517258949069  Latitude:  53.184287530189785  (EPSG:4326)

Country:  Wales

Current County or Unitary Authority:  Gwynedd

Historic County:  Caernarfonshire

Current Parish/Community/Council/Townland:  Llandygai

Monument Condition

Low ramparts but visible.

Condition:
Extant   ✓
Cropmark   ✗
Likely Destroyed   ✗

Land Use

Rough upland grass, scrub and bare rock.

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 contour hillfort occupying a prominent rocky hill above the Afon Cegin to W and Afgon Ogwen to E. Naturally defended by a cliff face on S side and by steep slopes to N and 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:  Hill top

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

Altitude:  130.0m

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

GAT investigations 1978-95. Site surveyed in detail (contour, profits, etc), photographed and described by MSC Scheme over 3 month period 1986-87. GAT prehistoric defended enclosures survey 2004-2005.

Investigations:
1st Identified Written Reference (1866):   H.D. Hughes.
Other (None):   GAT investigations.
Earthwork Survey (None):   MSC scheme.
Other (None):   GAT prehistoric defended enclosures survey.

Interior Features

None

Water Source

None

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

A hollow way on E leads to the entrance and is almost certainly the original entrance way.

Total Number of Breaks Through Ramparts:  
1:   Estimated.

Number of Possible Original Entrances:  
2:   None

Guard Chambers:  ✗

Chevaux de Frise:  ✗

Entrances:
1. Hollow Way (East):   None

Enclosing Works

Ramparts are low but can be seen below the modern field wall on the W side. E side ihas a ditch, rock-cut in places which may also have had an accompanying bank.

Enclosed Area:
Area 1:   Noneha.
Total:   Noneha.

Total Footprint Area:  Noneha.

Ramparts

None

Multi-period Enclosure System:
✗   Area not defined.

Ramparts Form a Continuous Circuit:
✓   Ramparts estimated.

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

Stone-walled site

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:
✓   E side is also defended by a ditch, rock-cut in places.

Number of Ditches:  1

Annex:
✗   None

References

Caffell, G. 1977. Annual Report, Cymdeithas Archaeoleg Llandegai a Llanllechid Annual Report, 21 (a), 5.

Hughes, H. D. 1866. Hynafiaethau Llandegai a Llanllechid, 9, 17.

Owen, E. 1872. Portions of the Parishes of Llanllechid & Llendegai, Arch Camb, VOL. 3, 4th Series, 239.

Smith, G.H. 2005 , A Survey of Prehistoric Defended Enclosures in North West Wales 2004-2005: West Conwy, Gwynedd (Arfon) and Anglesey, Bangor: Gwynedd Archaeological Trust.

Waddington, K. 2013. The Settlements of Northwest Wales: From the Late Bronze Age to the Early Medieval Period, Cardiff: University of Wales Press.



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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