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Mynydd Bychan is a prehistoric settlement located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM076. The site sits on bedrock of the Lias Group, a sequence of mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone formed during the Aalenian period of the Jurassic. This solid geological foundation would have supported occupation and provided materials for construction and tool-making during antiquity.
The settlement's position on this mixed bedrock reflects the prehistoric inhabitants' understanding of local resources. The harder limestone and sandstone bands within the Lias sequence would have been suitable for rubble construction and stone tools, whilst the finer siltstones and mudstones weathered to create workable soils for settlement and cultivation on the upland location.
Mynydd Bychan represents an important record of early land use in Wales. The site's survival and continued protection recognise its value as evidence for prehistoric occupation patterns and settlement strategies in the region, contributing to understanding of how ancient communities exploited upland landscapes and their underlying geological character.
Mynydd Bychan is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM076. View the official record →
Mynydd Bychan is a prehistoric settlement located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM076.
Mynydd Bychan dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a settlement. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Mynydd Bychan 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 GM076.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llantwit Major Dovecot (7 km), Llantwit Major Monastic Settlement (Site of) (7 km), Boverton Place (7.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Mynydd Bychan'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.
Mynydd Bychan stands on Lias Group, bedrock that formed in the Aalenian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, limestone and sandstone.