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Dunraven Castle Hillfort is a prehistoric hillfort situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference GM350. The site occupies a natural prominence underlain by Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of Silurian age, geology that would have offered both defensive advantage and stability for construction. Silurian sediments in this region typically comprise mudstones and sandstones, materials available locally for building purposes.
The hillfort exemplifies the Iron Age tradition of fortified hilltop settlement across Britain and Wales, when communities constructed defensive enclosures through the excavation of ditches and the raising of timber-framed ramparts. The site's elevated position commands views across the surrounding landscape, a characteristic feature that allowed occupants to monitor approach routes and control local territory.
Dunraven Castle demonstrates the enduring relationship between prehistoric settlement and topography. The choice of this particular hill reflects the practical considerations that guided hillfort placement: natural defensibility, command of the landscape, and access to resources. The monument remains an important record of Iron Age social organisation and settlement hierarchy in Wales.
Dunraven Castle Hillfort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM350. View the official record →
Dunraven Castle Hillfort is a prehistoric hillfort situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference GM350.
Dunraven Castle 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.
Dunraven Castle 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 GM350.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cwm Bach Camps (1.7 km), Cwm Nash Defended Enclosure (3.2 km), Buarth-Mawr Barn (3.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Dunraven Castle 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.
Dunraven Castle Hillfort stands on Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, bedrock that formed in the Silurian. The rock here is sedimentary rocks.