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The Bulwarks is a post-medieval earthwork fortification located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference CM009. Constructed during the English Civil War period, it represents a practical military response to the conflict that divided the nation in the mid-seventeenth century. The site sits on bedrock composed of Arenig Rocks, a formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone dating to the Arenigian geological period, which provided a stable if challenging foundation for its construction.
As an unclassified earthwork, The Bulwarks differs from the standard fort types of its era, suggesting it was purpose-built to suit the specific topography and strategic needs of its location. The combination of locally available Arenig stone and earthen ramparts would have created a defensive position adapted to the Welsh landscape and the demands of Civil War siege craft.
Today The Bulwarks survives as a significant record of seventeenth-century military engineering and the conflict's impact on Wales. Its preservation by Cadw ensures that this earthen fortification continues to illustrate the practical military innovations of the period and the geological character of the Welsh borderlands during this turbulent chapter of British history.
The Bulwarks (Civil War) is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM009. View the official record →
The Bulwarks is a post-medieval earthwork fortification located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference CM009.
The Bulwarks (Civil War) dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a earthwork (unclassified). It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
The Bulwarks (Civil War) 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 CM009.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Pen Celli Standing Stone (6.8 km), Castell y Domen, Gwempa (7.8 km), Is-Coed-Uchaf Standing Stone (7.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of The Bulwarks (Civil War)'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.
The Bulwarks (Civil War) stands on Arenig Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Arenigian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.