Scheduled MonumentsWalesBerth Ddu Hut Circles
Prehistoric · Enclosed hut circle

Berth Ddu Hut Circles

Meirionnydd, Wales
Cadw SAM ME004
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Enclosed hut circle
Broad class
Domestic
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Berth Ddu Hut Circles is a prehistoric enclosed hut circle situated in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument. The site occupies Lower Cambrian bedrock composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, laid down during the Early Cambrian period over 500 million years ago. This ancient geology provided the stone-rich substrate from which prehistoric inhabitants would have gathered materials for construction.

The hut circle represents a form of domestic settlement common across upland Wales during the Bronze Age and Iron Age periods. Enclosed hut circles typically comprise a roughly circular dwelling platform defined by a stone bank or wall, often measuring between 6 and 15 metres in diameter. Such structures housed single families or small household groups, with the enclosing bank providing both structural support and protection from the exposed Welsh uplands.

The monument's survival as an earthwork feature indicates the shallow soils and sparse vegetation typical of upland terrain, which have protected the archaeological deposits from subsequent agricultural improvement. The site contributes to understanding prehistoric settlement patterns and domestic life in Wales, reflecting how communities exploited and inhabited the upland landscape over millennia.

Berth Ddu Hut Circles is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME004. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Berth Ddu Hut Circles?

Berth Ddu Hut Circles is a prehistoric enclosed hut circle situated in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference ME004.

What period does Berth Ddu Hut Circles date from?

Berth Ddu Hut Circles dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosed hut circle. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Berth Ddu Hut Circles?

Berth Ddu Hut Circles 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 ME004.

What other scheduled monuments are near Berth Ddu Hut Circles?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Enclosed Hut Circle Settlement and Long huts E of Egryn Abbey (2.7 km), Settlement & Fields Systems above Egryn Abbey (3 km), Llwyn du Parc cairn (3.9 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Berth Ddu Hut Circles

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Berth Ddu Hut Circles's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Berth Ddu Hut Circles

Berth Ddu Hut Circles stands on Lower Cambrian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Cambrian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.