Scheduled MonumentsWalesLan Enclosure
Medieval · Enclosure

Lan Enclosure

Carmarthenshire, Wales
Cadw SAM CM294
Period
Medieval
Site type
Enclosure
Broad class
Monument
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM CM294
Authority
Cadw
Designated
1999-03-02
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Lan Enclosure is a medieval enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw under the reference CM294. The monument comprises the earthwork remains of an enclosed settlement typical of the medieval period in this region. Its construction took advantage of the underlying geology of Arenig Rocks, Undifferentiated, which consists of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Arenigian epoch. This bedrock would have influenced both the drainage of the site and the availability of stone for building and boundary construction.

The enclosure follows the contours of its landscape, with its banks and ditches marking the extent of a medieval domestic settlement. Such enclosures were common throughout Wales during the medieval period, serving as defended or semi-defended homesteads for farming communities. The specific topography of the site, determined by the underlying geology, shaped how the inhabitants organized their living space and agricultural land.

Today, the earthwork remains visible at Lan Enclosure provide evidence of medieval settlement patterns in Wales. The monument contributes to our understanding of how medieval communities adapted to their local environment, using natural features and available materials to establish sustainable settlements. Its protection by Cadw ensures the preservation of these archaeological remains for future study and public access.

Lan Enclosure is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM294. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Lan Enclosure?

Lan Enclosure is a medieval enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw under the reference CM294.

What period does Lan Enclosure date from?

Lan Enclosure dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Lan Enclosure?

Lan Enclosure 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 CM294.

What other scheduled monuments are near Lan Enclosure?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dolgarn Moated Site (7.1 km), Cross-Incised Stones (7.1 km), Eithin Bach round barrow (7.5 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Lan Enclosure

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Lan Enclosure'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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Lan Enclosure report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Lan Enclosure

Lan Enclosure stands on Arenig Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Arenigian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.