© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Caer Pencarreg is a prehistoric hillfort situated on the bedrock of Llandovery Rocks, a formation of sandstone and conglomerate that provides a naturally defensive foundation. The interbedded geology of this Ordovician-period stone creates an uneven terrain that would have enhanced the site's strategic position. The hillfort occupies ground where the natural rock outcrops and slopes offer substantial advantages for settlement and surveillance of surrounding territory.
The monument sits within the Llandovery formation, typical of the geology across mid-Wales. This local stone would have been readily available for constructing the fortification's defences, as quarrying and working stone on site would have required minimal material transport. The conglomerate and sandstone bedrock creates a landscape of natural scarps and outcrops that forms part of the hillfort's inherent defensive character.
Caer Pencarreg is protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, under reference CM173. This designation recognises the site's archaeological importance and ensures its preservation. The hillfort belongs to a significant class of Iron Age and earlier defensive settlements distributed across Wales, though prehistoric activity at many such sites frequently extended across longer periods than single occupation phases.
Caer Pencarreg is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM173. View the official record →
Caer Pencarreg is a prehistoric hillfort situated on the bedrock of Llandovery Rocks, a formation of sandstone and conglomerate that provides a naturally defensive foundation. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM173.
Caer Pencarreg dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Caer Pencarreg 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 CM173.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Gelli Dewi Uchaf linear round barrow cemetery (0.9 km), Three Round Cairns SE of Blaen Carreg (3.5 km), Lampeter Pillbox (3.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Caer Pencarreg'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 Pencarreg stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.