Scheduled MonumentsWalesCarn Pentyrch Camp
Prehistoric · Hillfort

Carn Pentyrch Camp

Conwy, Wales
Cadw SAM CN055
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Hillfort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Carn Pentyrch Camp is a prehistoric hillfort situated in Wales on bedrock of Ordovician to Silurian age. The underlying geology consists of an unnamed igneous intrusion of felsic composition, formed during the Silurian period. This hard, light-coloured igneous rock provides a naturally elevated and defensible position, typical of hillfort siting strategies in the prehistoric period. The solid bedrock foundation would have made construction of substantial ramparts and defensive structures feasible, whilst the prominent geological feature itself offered commanding views across the surrounding landscape.

The hillfort's location on igneous bedrock distinguishes it geologically from many other Welsh hillforts, which often occupy sedimentary or metamorphic substrates. The felsic igneous rock exposed in the area would have influenced both the fort's construction methods and its visual prominence in the local terrain.

The site is protected and scheduled as a monument of national importance under Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, recorded under reference CN055. This designation recognises its archaeological significance as evidence of prehistoric settlement and defensive strategy in the Welsh uplands.

Carn Pentyrch Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CN055. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Carn Pentyrch Camp?

Carn Pentyrch Camp is a prehistoric hillfort situated in Wales on bedrock of Ordovician to Silurian age. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CN055.

What period does Carn Pentyrch Camp date from?

Carn Pentyrch Camp dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Carn Pentyrch Camp?

Carn Pentyrch Camp 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 CN055.

What other scheduled monuments are near Carn Pentyrch Camp?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including St Cybi's Well (0.6 km), Cross-Incised Stone in Llangybi Churchyard (0.7 km), Four Crosses Standing Stone (3.7 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Carn Pentyrch Camp

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Carn Pentyrch Camp'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 Carn Pentyrch Camp

Carn Pentyrch Camp stands on Unnamed Igneous Intrusion, Ordovician To Silurian, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is felsic-rock.

The wider landscape

Around Carn Pentyrch Camp

Bryn Celli DduArchaeological site · ~18.3 miles