Early Medieval · Ringwork

Drim Camp

Pembrokeshire, Wales
Cadw SAM PE107
Period
Early Medieval
Site type
Ringwork
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Drim Camp is a early medieval ringwork situated in Wales on bedrock of Ashgill Rocks, formed from mudstone, siltstone and sandstone typical of the Ashgill geological sequence. The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under the reference number PE107.

Ringworks of this period represent a common form of defensive settlement across Wales and the English borderlands, typically comprising a single or multiple earthen banks with associated ditches arranged in circular or oval plans. They served as fortified residences and administrative centres for local lords during the early medieval period, offering protection whilst maintaining accessibility compared to the more substantial stone castles that emerged later.

The underlying geology of Ashgill Rocks—a mixture of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone—would have influenced both the construction of the earthworks and the hydrology of the site. Such variable bedrock, whilst not ideal for quarrying building stone, provided reasonable drainage characteristics and a stable foundation for the substantial earth ramparts characteristic of ringwork defences. The site's designation under Cadw protection reflects its significance as evidence of early medieval settlement patterns and territorial organisation in Wales.

Drim Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference PE107. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Drim Camp?

Drim Camp is a early medieval ringwork situated in Wales on bedrock of Ashgill Rocks, formed from mudstone, siltstone and sandstone typical of the Ashgill geological sequence. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference PE107.

What period does Drim Camp date from?

Drim Camp dates from the early medieval period, and is classified as a ringwork. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Drim Camp?

Drim Camp 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 PE107.

What other scheduled monuments are near Drim Camp?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castell Coch (6 km), Minwear Ringwork (6.1 km), Newton North Church (6.3 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Drim Camp

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Drim Camp's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Drim Camp

Drim Camp stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.