Scheduled MonumentsWalesCefn Ddwysarn Camp
Prehistoric · Enclosure

Cefn Ddwysarn Camp

Meirionnydd, Wales
Cadw SAM ME063
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Enclosure
Broad class
Monument
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Cefn Ddwysarn Camp is a prehistoric enclosure situated on bedrock of Ashgill mudstone, siltstone and sandstone in Wales. The monument occupies ground where these fine-grained sedimentary rocks, formed during the Ashgill epoch of the Ordovician period, underlie the surface. This solid geological foundation would have provided a naturally stable base for construction, though the heavy clay-rich soils derived from the weathered bedrock present both opportunities and constraints for settlement. The camp belongs to a class of Iron Age or Bronze Age enclosures common across Welsh upland landscapes, typically defined by banks and ditches or stone-built boundaries that served defensive, administrative or ceremonial purposes.

The site is protected under Cadw, the Welsh heritage protection authority, registered as monument ME063. Protection under this designation recognises its archaeological importance and ensures that features survive for future study and public understanding. The specific geology and positioning of Cefn Ddwysarn Camp within its local terrain would have influenced daily life, water management and the movement of people and livestock. Like comparable prehistoric enclosures in similar Welsh settings, it contributes essential evidence to understanding Iron Age or Bronze Age settlement patterns and land use across upland Britain.

Cefn Ddwysarn Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME063. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Cefn Ddwysarn Camp?

Cefn Ddwysarn Camp is a prehistoric enclosure situated on bedrock of Ashgill mudstone, siltstone and sandstone in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference ME063.

What period does Cefn Ddwysarn Camp date from?

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

Who is responsible for protecting Cefn Ddwysarn Camp?

Cefn Ddwysarn 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 ME063.

What other scheduled monuments are near Cefn Ddwysarn Camp?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Maen y Rhos Standing Stone (1.9 km), Pont Fawr (2.2 km), Pen-Ucha'r-Llan Ringwork (3.1 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Cefn Ddwysarn Camp

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cefn Ddwysarn 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 Cefn Ddwysarn Camp

Cefn Ddwysarn Camp stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.