Scheduled MonumentsWalesPen y Garn Camp
Prehistoric · Hillfort

Pen y Garn Camp

Carmarthenshire, Wales
Cadw SAM CM150
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Hillfort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM CM150
Authority
Cadw
Designated
1951-10-30
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Pen y Garn Camp is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference CM150. The site occupies a naturally defensible position on bedrock comprising Ludlow rocks—undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone typical of the Ludlow Series geology. This solid foundation would have provided a stable base for the ramparts and internal structures characteristic of Iron Age hillforts in the region, whilst the elevated position afforded commanding views across the surrounding landscape and strategic control of local routes.

Hillforts of this type were focal points of settlement and territorial power during the later prehistoric period, typically enclosed by one or more substantial defensive banks and ditches. The choice of location at Pen y Garn reflects the practical considerations of Iron Age communities: the higher ground offered natural advantages for defence and visibility, whilst the underlying geology provided reliable materials for construction. The site's preservation under statutory protection recognises its significance as evidence of the social organisation and landscape use of prehistoric Wales.

Pen y Garn Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM150. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Pen y Garn Camp?

Pen y Garn Camp is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference CM150.

What period does Pen y Garn Camp date from?

Pen y Garn Camp 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 Pen y Garn Camp?

Pen y Garn Camp 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 CM150.

What other scheduled monuments are near Pen y Garn Camp?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castell Dryslwyn (2.6 km), Grongaer (2.6 km), Cairn 150m ESE of Garnbig (3.2 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Pen y Garn Camp

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Pen y Garn Camp'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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Pen y Garn Camp report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Pen y Garn Camp

Pen y Garn Camp stands on Ludlow Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ludlow. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.