Scheduled MonumentsWalesPen y Gaer Hillfort
Prehistoric · Hillfort

Pen y Gaer Hillfort

Denbighshire, Wales
Cadw SAM DE231
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Hillfort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Pen y Gaer Hillfort is a prehistoric defensive fortification located in Denbighshire, Wales, situated on elevated terrain commanding views across the surrounding landscape. The site comprises a multivallate design with multiple defensive ditches and ramparts characteristic of Iron Age hillforts constructed during the later prehistoric period. Its strategic positioning exemplifies the settlement and defensive practices of Iron Age communities in North Wales, reflecting both the military concerns and territorial organisation of the period. The monument remains a significant archaeological resource for understanding prehistoric settlement patterns and fortification strategies in the region, with its physical earthworks largely preserved despite the passage of two millennia.

Pen y Gaer Hillfort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE231. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Pen y Gaer Hillfort?

Pen y Gaer Hillfort is a prehistoric defensive fortification located in Denbighshire, Wales, situated on elevated terrain commanding views across the surrounding landscape. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference DE231.

What period does Pen y Gaer Hillfort date from?

Pen y Gaer Hillfort dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Pen y Gaer Hillfort?

Pen y Gaer 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 DE231.

What other scheduled monuments are near Pen y Gaer Hillfort?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Motte castle adjacent to Oaklands Hall, Chirk Bank (6.9 km), Offa's Dyke: section two miles 780yds (3930m) long, from the stream W of Brook Cottage, Selattyn, to footpath crossing dyke W of Bron-y-Garth Also in Clwyd: Wales (7.5 km), Offa's Dyke: Section from Footpath S of Pen-y-Bryn to Orseddwen (8.3 km).

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