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Pencraig-Fawr Camp is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales. The site sits upon Llanvirn rocks of the Whiterock formation, a bedrock composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Ordovician period. This underlying geology has shaped both the monument's construction and its long-term preservation. The enclosure is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage monuments service, under reference PE285.
The camp represents a form of settlement or defensive structure typical of prehistoric Wales, though its precise date and function remain subjects of study. Its position on the sloping terrain above the Ordovician bedrock would have offered natural defensibility and drainage. The local geology provided ready material for construction, with the softer sedimentary rocks of the Whiterock formation exposed across the landscape.
The monument survives as an earthwork enclosure, its form and condition reflecting both ancient construction methods and the weathering effects of the local bedrock over millennia. Like many prehistoric camps in Wales, it provides evidence of early land use and settlement patterns in the region. The site's Cadw protection ensures its preservation for future archaeological study and public access.
Pencraig-Fawr Camp is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference PE285. View the official record →
Pencraig-Fawr Camp is a prehistoric enclosure located in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference PE285.
Pencraig-Fawr Camp dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Pencraig-Fawr 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 PE285.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Roman Road 300m East of Bryn Farm (8.9 km), Camp 370m NE of Stoneyford (9.1 km), Camp 400m NW of Holgan (9.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Pencraig-Fawr Camp'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.
Pencraig-Fawr Camp stands on Llanvirn Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Whiterock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.