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Cae Merddyn is a multi-period settlement site consisting of prehistoric enclosed hut circles located south of Bwlch-y-Ffordd in Wales. The settlement sits upon bedrock composed of Middle Cambrian mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, geology that would have shaped both the construction methods and drainage characteristics of the site. This ancient geological foundation, laid down over 500 million years ago, provided the raw materials from which later occupants quarried stone for their dwellings.
The hut circles represent domestic occupation spanning multiple periods of prehistory, with structures characterised by their circular form set within surrounding enclosures. Such enclosed settlements are typical of Bronze Age and Iron Age communities across upland Wales, where these defensive or stock-management features protected both dwelling and livestock within defined boundaries.
The site is protected as a scheduled ancient monument under Cadw reference ME046, recognition of its archaeological significance and contribution to understanding settlement patterns and domestic life across Welsh prehistoric periods. The combination of structural remains and their geological setting provides evidence for how ancient communities adapted to and exploited the local landscape.
Multi-period Settlement Remains at Cae Merddyn, S of Bwlch-y-Ffordd is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME046. View the official record →
Cae Merddyn is a multi-period settlement site consisting of prehistoric enclosed hut circles located south of Bwlch-y-Ffordd in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference ME046.
Multi-period Settlement Remains at Cae Merddyn, S of Bwlch-y-Ffordd dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosed hut circle settlement. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Multi-period Settlement Remains at Cae Merddyn, S of Bwlch-y-Ffordd 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 ME046.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Glasdir Copper and Gold Mine Mill (5.8 km), Cefn Coch Cairn and Cist (6.1 km), Tyddyn Bach Round Barrow (6.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Multi-period Settlement Remains at Cae Merddyn, S of Bwlch-y-Ffordd'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.
Multi-period Settlement Remains at Cae Merddyn, S of Bwlch-y-Ffordd stands on Middle Cambrian, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.