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Caer Gwanaf is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM070. The monument sits upon bedrock of Triassic rocks, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Triassic period. This geology would have presented distinct challenges and resources to the people who constructed and occupied the site, with the softer sedimentary stone offering some material for building but limited natural defensibility compared to harder rock formations found elsewhere in the region.
The enclosure's earthwork defences reflect the settlement patterns and social organisation of prehistoric Wales. Such monuments typically date to the Iron Age, though some may have earlier origins, and served as permanent or semi-permanent settlements, livestock corrals, or centres of local authority. The surrounding landscape, underlain by Triassic strata, would have supported mixed pastoral and arable economy typical of the period.
As a scheduled and protected monument, Caer Gwanaf remains an important archaeological record of prehistoric settlement in Wales. Its preservation allows study of construction techniques, land use and social development during the prehistoric period. The specific location and form of the enclosure contribute to broader understanding of how prehistoric communities adapted to and modified the Welsh landscape.
Caer Gwanaf is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM070. View the official record →
Caer Gwanaf is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM070.
Caer Gwanaf dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Caer Gwanaf 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 GM070.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Medieval House Site, Llantrithyd (7.3 km), Llantrithyd Place: remains of house, relict gardens and wells (7.3 km), Horseland moated homestead (7.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Caer Gwanaf'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.
Caer Gwanaf stands on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.