© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar is a prehistoric promontory fort situated in Wales, protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference CM381. The site occupies a naturally defensible position on bedrock composed of Llandovery rocks, an undifferentiated sequence of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone typical of the Silurian period. This geological foundation would have provided a stable base for the construction and occupation of the fortification.
Promontory forts of this type represent a widespread form of settlement defence across prehistoric Britain and Ireland, typically dating to the Iron Age, though some may have earlier origins. Located inland rather than on a coastal promontory, this example makes tactical use of the local topography to create a naturally enclosed stronghold. The combination of steep ground and artificial defences would have afforded protection to the inhabitants and their livestock.
The site's survival as a scheduled monument ensures the preservation of its archaeological resource for future study. The Llandovery bedrock, while not as dramatically fractured as harder igneous rocks, would have influenced both the construction techniques available to Iron Age builders and the preservation conditions for any artefactual remains within the enclosure.
Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM381. View the official record →
Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar is a prehistoric promontory fort situated in Wales, protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference CM381.
Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a promontory fort - inland. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar 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 CM381.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Defended Enclosure 350m S of Clungwyn (4.5 km), Pen y Gaer Hillfort (5.9 km), Roman Amphitheatre (7.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar'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.
Defended Enclosure 300m W of Pen y Gar stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.