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Nant Barre Caerau is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CD054. The fort sits upon bedrock of Ashgill age, composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that would have provided a stable foundation for the settlement's defences. This geology is typical of the region and would have offered suitable material for construction, though the exact form of the fort's ramparts and their building technique remain to be fully documented.
The hillfort occupies a position that exploits the natural contours of the landscape, a characteristic common to such fortified settlements across prehistoric Britain and Wales. Its strategic placement would have commanded views across the surrounding terrain, serving both defensive and territorial functions for the community that inhabited it. The monument represents an important phase in Welsh prehistory when such enclosed hilltop settlements became increasingly significant as centres of power and refuge.
Today, Nant Barre Caerau survives as an earthwork monument, its ramparts and internal features still visible in the landscape. The protection afforded by Cadw ensures the preservation of this archaeological resource for future study and public access, allowing visitors and researchers to appreciate the enduring legacy of this ancient settlement in its original topographic context.
Nant Barre Caerau is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CD054. View the official record →
Nant Barre Caerau is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CD054.
Nant Barre Caerau dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Nant Barre Caerau 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 CD054.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Dinas Cerdin (3.5 km), Gernos Mountain Round Barrow Cemetery (3.5 km), St Mary's Church / Llandyfriog Castle Mound (5.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Nant Barre Caerau'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.
Nant Barre Caerau stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.