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Afon Sirhowy hut circle is a prehistoric settlement comprising the remains of circular stone-built dwellings. The site lies in Wales on bedrock of the Millstone Grit Group, a sequence of mudstones, siltstones and sandstones that formed during the Namurian period. This geology would have presented significant challenges to inhabitants seeking to establish a permanent settlement, yet the location was chosen and occupied, suggesting that other factors—proximity to water, grazing land, or shelter from prevailing winds—outweighed the difficulties of building on such terrain.
Hut circles of this type typically date from the Bronze Age or Iron Age, when communities across Britain and Ireland lived in small, often dispersed settlements. The circular plan, commonly between 5 and 15 metres in diameter, provided an efficient use of space and materials. Stone walls, often set into shallow foundations, supported timber superstructures, with the interior floor typically slightly sunken into the bedrock.
The monument is protected by Cadw under reference MM347, recognising its importance as an archaeological record of prehistoric settlement patterns and building practices in Wales. Such sites contribute significantly to understanding how early communities adapted to and exploited the Welsh landscape, and how settlement and land-use changed across the prehistoric period.
Afon Sirhowy hut circle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM347. View the official record →
Afon Sirhowy hut circle is a prehistoric settlement comprising the remains of circular stone-built dwellings. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MM347.
Afon Sirhowy hut circle dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hut circle settlement. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Afon Sirhowy hut circle is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is MM347.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Gelligaer Common Roman Road (8.6 km), Gelligaer Common Standing Stone (8.7 km), Three Platform Houses on Cefn Brithdir (9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Afon Sirhowy hut circle's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Afon Sirhowy hut circle stands on Millstone Grit Group [See Also Migr], bedrock that formed in the Namurian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.