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Tan-y-Ffordd Hillfort is a prehistoric fortified settlement situated on bedrock composed of Llandovery rocks, a formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Llandovery period. The site occupies a commanding position in Wales and is protected as a scheduled ancient monument under Cadw reference CD164, recognising its significance as evidence of Iron Age settlement and defensive practice in the region.
The hillfort's location on relatively soft sedimentary geology would have presented particular challenges and opportunities for construction. The underlying Llandovery rocks could be worked to create ditches and ramparts, though their susceptibility to weathering would have required ongoing maintenance of the fortifications. The choice of site reflects the hillfort builder's priorities: elevation for visibility and defence, proximity to local resources, and command of the surrounding landscape.
Hillforts of this type typically enclosed domestic and agricultural activities within multiple banks and ditches, serving as strongholds during periods of social competition and conflict. Tan-y-Ffordd represents the archaeological evidence of Iron Age communities whose settlement patterns and fortification strategies shaped the Welsh landscape, and whose structures remain visible today as expressions of territorial control and social organisation in prehistoric Britain.
Tan-y-Ffordd Hillfort is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CD164. View the official record →
Tan-y-Ffordd Hillfort is a prehistoric fortified settlement situated on bedrock composed of Llandovery rocks, a formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Llandovery period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CD164.
Tan-y-Ffordd Hillfort dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a hillfort. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Tan-y-Ffordd 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 CD164.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Fron Goch Lead Mine (6 km), Coed Ty'n-y-Cwm Camps (6.2 km), Abermagwr Sawmill (6.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Tan-y-Ffordd Hillfort'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.
Tan-y-Ffordd Hillfort stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.