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Deserted Medieval Settlement is a medieval village site in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument. The settlement lies on bedrock of Pridoli age, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposits laid down in the Palaeozoic era. This solid geological foundation would have provided relatively stable ground for medieval occupation, though the naturally weathered character of these sedimentary rocks meant inhabitants faced ongoing challenges of drainage and foundation stability typical of settlements established on such substrates.
The village represents one of many rural communities that were abandoned during the late medieval period, a process affecting both lowland and upland Wales from the 13th century onwards. Desertion resulted from a combination of economic, social and climatic pressures, including shifts in agricultural practice, population movement and the wider instability of the period.
Today the settlement survives as earthwork features and structural remains visible across the landscape. The site's preservation under Cadw protection ensures that the physical traces of medieval settlement patterns—building platforms, field systems and trackways—remain available for study and interpretation, contributing to our understanding of medieval Welsh rural life and the dramatic landscape changes that reshaped Welsh communities.
Deserted Medieval Settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM220. View the official record →
Deserted Medieval Settlement is a medieval village site in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM220.
Deserted Medieval Settlement dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a deserted medieval village. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Deserted Medieval Settlement 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 CM220.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castle-Lloyd Round Barrow (1.4 km), Castle-Lloyd Camp (1.7 km), Parc-Cynog Camp (2.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Deserted Medieval Settlement'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.
Deserted Medieval Settlement stands on Pridoli Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Pridoli. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.