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Crannog in Llangorse Lake is an early medieval artificial island settlement located in south Wales. The structure sits within Llangorse Lake, a natural freshwater body underlain by Lower Devonian bedrock comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposited during the Early Devonian period. The crannog represents a settlement strategy characteristic of the early medieval period in Britain and Ireland, where defended or isolated domestic sites were constructed on artificially raised platforms within water bodies.
The monument is protected by Cadw under reference BR158, reflecting its archaeological and historical significance to Wales. Crannogs of this era typically served as high-status residences or refuges, with evidence suggesting occupation spanning several centuries. The waterlogged environment of Llangorse Lake has created conditions conducive to the preservation of organic remains, making such sites invaluable for understanding early medieval settlement patterns, construction techniques and daily life in early medieval Wales.
The crannog's survival within the lake has protected it from later agricultural disturbance that affected many terrestrial sites. Its position within Llangorse Lake, one of the largest natural lakes in Wales, would have offered strategic advantages in terms of defence and access to aquatic resources during the early medieval period.
Crannog in Llangorse Lake is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR158. View the official record →
Crannog in Llangorse Lake is an early medieval artificial island settlement located in south Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR158.
Crannog in Llangorse Lake dates from the early medieval period, and is classified as a crannog. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Crannog in Llangorse Lake 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 BR158.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llwyn-y-Fedwen Standing Stone (7 km), Myarth Camp (7.6 km), Tor y Foel Deserted Rural Settlement (7.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Crannog in Llangorse Lake'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.
Crannog in Llangorse Lake stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.