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Coed y Gaer is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference BR115. The site sits upon bedrock of Lower Devonian rocks, undifferentiated strata formed during the Early Devonian period, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. This geology would have provided a naturally stable foundation for the monument's construction.
The enclosure belongs to a widespread tradition of prehistoric fortified settlements found across Britain and Wales, typically comprising defensive banks and ditches surrounding an enclosed area. Such monuments served multiple purposes, from livestock management and settlement protection to ritual or communal gathering places. The specific form and phasing of this enclosure would have been shaped by the topography and resources of its immediate landscape.
The monument's preservation within the modern landscape, where woodland now grows across the site, has protected its archaeological integrity. Its location on Lower Devonian bedrock places it within a geological zone characteristic of mid and south Wales. The monument remains an important physical record of prehistoric settlement patterns and engineering practices, contributing to the understanding of early communities and their adaptation to the Welsh landscape during prehistoric times.
Coed y Gaer is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR115. View the official record →
Coed y Gaer is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference BR115.
Coed y Gaer dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Coed y Gaer 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 BR115.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Coed Pentwyn Hillfort (8 km), Llangattock Tramroad Inclines (8.2 km), Hen Castell (8.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Coed y Gaer'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.
Coed y Gaer stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.