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Craig y Ddinas Hillfort is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales, occupying high ground underlain by the Millstone Grit Group. This bedrock comprises mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposits formed during the Namurian period, creating a naturally defensive landscape of steep slopes and resistant stone outcrops. The hillfort's position exploits these geological features to commanding effect.
The site is defended by ramparts and ditches typical of Iron Age hillforts, though the precise chronology of construction and occupation remains to be fully established through excavation. The Millstone Grit bedrock would have provided both stone for fortification and a naturally formidable foundation, with the gritstone's durability contributing to the survival of structural elements. The geological setting shaped both the hillfort's defensive capability and its visual prominence across the surrounding terrain.
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort is protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference BR178, recognising its archaeological significance. The site represents an important element of Wales's Iron Age settlement pattern and the strategic use of topography and geology in defensive architecture. Its preservation allows continued study of hillfort construction techniques and their adaptation to local landscape conditions.
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR178. View the official record →
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales, occupying high ground underlain by the Millstone Grit Group. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR178.
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort 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 BR178.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Craig y Bwlch round cairn (5.2 km), Tarren y Bwlch round cairn (5.7 km), Ffos Toncenglau cross ridge dyke (5.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Craig y Ddinas Hillfort'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.
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort stands on Millstone Grit Group [See Also Migr], bedrock that formed in the Namurian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.