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Corntown causewayed enclosure is a prehistoric monument of Neolithic date located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM585. The site comprises a causewayed enclosure, a distinctive fortified settlement type consisting of interrupted ditches and banks forming one or more concentric circuits around a central occupied area. These monuments are concentrated in southern Britain and typically date to the earlier Neolithic period, between approximately 3700 and 3000 BCE.
The enclosure sits upon Dinantian bedrock composed of limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks, geology typical of south Wales. This limestone foundation would have provided suitable ground for the construction of banks and ditches, though the mixed substrate of sandstone and clay layers would have affected drainage and the working properties of the soil during construction and occupation.
Causewayed enclosures served multiple functions within Neolithic communities, including defence, stock control, and ceremonial gathering. The interrupted ditches are believed to have functioned as causeways allowing controlled access to the interior. Corntown's specific setting within the Welsh landscape contributes to understanding how Neolithic communities adapted this monument type to regional environmental conditions and settlement patterns.
Corntown causewayed enclosure is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM585. View the official record →
Corntown causewayed enclosure is a prehistoric monument of Neolithic date located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM585.
Corntown causewayed enclosure dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a causewayed enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Corntown causewayed enclosure 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 GM585.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Nash Point Camp (8 km), Llantwit Major Castle (8.4 km), St Donat's Churchyard Cross (8.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Corntown causewayed enclosure'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.
Corntown causewayed enclosure stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.