Scheduled MonumentsWalesMoel Hiraddug Hillfort
Prehistoric · Hillfort

Moel Hiraddug Hillfort

Flintshire, Wales
Cadw SAM FL012
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Hillfort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Moel Hiraddug Hillfort is a prehistoric hillfort situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference FL012. The monument crowns a prominence underlain by Dinantian rocks, a Mississippian limestone formation interbedded with sandstone and mudstone that provided both a naturally defensive position and accessible stone for construction. The hillfort's location exploits the natural topography of this limestone landscape, offering commanding views across the surrounding terrain whilst the stable bedrock ensured sound foundations for its defensive works.

The monument belongs to a widespread category of Iron Age fortified settlements found across Britain and Wales, typically constructed with multiple ramparts and ditches enclosing domestic and storage areas. At Moel Hiraddug, the stone-rich geology of the Dinantian formation would have enabled the construction of substantial stone-faced ramparts characteristic of hillfort defences in upland regions. Such fortifications served communities as places of refuge, centres of authority and administration, and focal points for communal activity.

The hillfort remains an important archaeological site documenting prehistoric settlement patterns and defensive architecture in Wales. Its preservation allows study of Iron Age society, territorial organisation and the relationship between communities and the landscape they inhabited. The monument contributes significantly to understanding how prehistoric peoples adapted to and utilised the local geology and topography of the Welsh uplands.

Moel Hiraddug Hillfort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference FL012. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Moel Hiraddug Hillfort?

Moel Hiraddug Hillfort is a prehistoric hillfort situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference FL012.

What period does Moel Hiraddug Hillfort date from?

Moel Hiraddug 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.

Who is responsible for protecting Moel Hiraddug Hillfort?

Moel Hiraddug 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 FL012.

What other scheduled monuments are near Moel Hiraddug Hillfort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Ffynnon Beuno Cave (6.2 km), Round Barrow 135m SE of Lodge Farm (7.5 km), Ffynnon Fair (Well), Cefn (8 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Moel Hiraddug Hillfort

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Moel Hiraddug Hillfort'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 Moel Hiraddug Hillfort

Moel Hiraddug Hillfort stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.