Scheduled MonumentsWalesLlantrithyd Camp
Prehistoric · Enclosure

Llantrithyd Camp

Wales
Cadw SAM GM257
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Enclosure
Broad class
Monument
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM GM257
Authority
Cadw
Designated
1959-01-08
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Llantrithyd Camp is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM257. The site occupies ground underlain by the Lias Group, a sequence of mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone bedrock formed during the Aalenian period of the Jurassic. This geological foundation would have offered mixed conditions for settlement, with softer mudstones and siltstones suitable for cultivation where exposed, and harder limestone outcrops providing natural defensive features across the landscape.

The enclosure follows a broadly circular plan, defended by a single substantial bank and ditch system typical of prehistoric fortified settlements. Such camps served multiple functions across prehistoric Wales, including defensive strongholds, stock corrals and ceremonial gathering places. The specific character of the site—its scale, construction method and positioning—reflects the strategic and economic priorities of its builders.

The surrounding terrain and the properties of the underlying Jurassic strata would have influenced the camp's construction and use. The mixture of soft and resistant rock types available locally would have shaped both the resources available to the community and the defensive qualities the enclosure could achieve. Though the date of construction cannot be determined from visual inspection alone, the site's form places it within the broader tradition of British prehistoric earthworks that flourished over many centuries.

Llantrithyd Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM257. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Llantrithyd Camp?

Llantrithyd Camp is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM257.

What period does Llantrithyd Camp date from?

Llantrithyd Camp dates from the prehistoric 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 Llantrithyd Camp?

Llantrithyd 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 GM257.

What other scheduled monuments are near Llantrithyd Camp?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including East Orchard Manor House (5.2 km), Deserted Medieval Village North East of Rock Farm (5.3 km), East Orchard Wood Pillbox (5.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Llantrithyd Camp

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Llantrithyd 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 Llantrithyd Camp

Llantrithyd Camp stands on Lias Group, bedrock that formed in the Aalenian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone.

The wider landscape

Around Llantrithyd Camp

Caerphilly CastleArchaeological site · ~11.2 miles