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Plas-Llwyn Site E is an early medieval enclosure revealed by aerial photography in Wales. The monument lies upon bedrock of Caradoc Rocks, Undifferentiated—a formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down during the Caradocian period. This solid geology would have provided a stable foundation for settlement during the early medieval centuries, when such enclosed farmsteads became characteristic of the Welsh landscape.
The enclosure was brought to archaeological attention through the systematic examination of aerial photographs, a technique that has proven invaluable for identifying cropmarks and soil marks invisible at ground level. Site E represents one element of a broader settlement pattern at Plas-Llwyn, demonstrating how multiple occupation areas developed across the same locality over time. The survival of such sites as earthworks or buried deposits reflects the relatively stable land use in this part of Wales.
The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage authority, under the reference MG174. This designation recognises its importance to understanding early medieval settlement, social organisation and land management in Wales. The enclosure contributes to the archaeological record of a formative period in Welsh history, before the emergence of the medieval kingdoms and their surviving records.
Site E of Plas-Llwyn (revealed by aerial photography) is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MG174. View the official record →
Plas-Llwyn Site E is an early medieval enclosure revealed by aerial photography in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MG174.
Site E of Plas-Llwyn (revealed by aerial photography) dates from the early medieval period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Site E of Plas-Llwyn (revealed by aerial photography) 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 MG174.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cefn Llan Hillfort (6.6 km), Bryn-Derwen Mound and Bailey Castle (7.1 km), Mount Pleasant Enclosure (7.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Site E of Plas-Llwyn (revealed by aerial photography)'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.
Site E of Plas-Llwyn (revealed by aerial photography) stands on Caradoc Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.