© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook is a prehistoric enclosure situated in Wales on bedrock of the South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation. The underlying geology of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone would have presented a challenging landscape for settlement, though the ironstone and ferricrete deposits characteristic of this Westphalian-age strata indicate iron-rich soils that supported vegetation suitable for Bronze Age and Iron Age communities. The enclosure represents one of several defensive or stock-containing structures known from this coal-bearing region of South Wales.
The monument comprises earthwork banks and ditches defining an enclosed space, typical of later prehistoric settlement patterns in Wales. Such enclosures served multiple purposes: defence, livestock management, or territorial demarcation. The scale and form of this example reflect local building traditions adapted to the upland terrain of the South Wales coalfield. The proximity to Melin Court Brook would have provided essential water access for both domestic and agricultural needs.
The site is protected by Cadw, the Welsh historic monuments service, and is registered under reference GM366. This designation recognises its archaeological significance as evidence of Iron Age or Bronze Age activity in the region. The enclosure contributes to understanding how prehistoric communities exploited the resources and geography of the coal measures landscape, a relatively understudied area of Welsh prehistory compared to the coastal and upland zones of Wales.
Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM366. View the official record →
Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook is a prehistoric enclosure situated in Wales on bedrock of the South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM366.
Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook 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 GM366.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cefn yr Argoed Camp (6 km), Nant Herbert Camp (6.3 km), Pont Fawr Aqueduct / Viaduct (7.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook'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.
Camp 280m S of Melin Court Brook stands on South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.