Scheduled MonumentsWalesThe Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill
Prehistoric · Hillfort

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill

Wales
Cadw SAM GM061
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Hillfort
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM061. The monument commands the landscape from bedrock of Upper Devonian age, comprising interbedded sandstone and conglomerate formed during the Late Devonian period. This substantial geology provided both a defensible position and the raw material for construction of the fort's defences.

Hillforts of this type typically date to the Iron Age, though some may have origins in the Late Bronze Age. The Bulwark's elevated position would have afforded clear sightlines across the surrounding terrain, essential for a fortified settlement serving both defensive and administrative functions. The ramparted earthworks characteristic of such monuments would have been labour-intensive constructions, indicating organised community effort and suggesting a site of considerable status.

The Bulwark remains an important archaeological monument preserving evidence of Iron Age settlement and social organisation in Wales. Its survival as a recognisable earthwork, protected under Cadw's guardianship, ensures that the physical remains of this fortified settlement continue to inform understanding of prehistoric Welsh communities and their landscape use.

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM061. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill?

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill is a prehistoric hillfort located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM061.

What period does The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill date from?

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill 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 The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill?

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill 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 GM061.

What other scheduled monuments are near The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Deborah's Hole Camp (6.5 km), Cave 40m SE of Deborah's Hole (6.5 km), Horse Cliff Camp (6.8 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill'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.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill

The Bulwark, Llanmadoc Hill stands on Upper Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Late Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.