Scheduled MonumentsWalesTretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement
Medieval · Shrunken Medieval Village

Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement

Breconshire, Wales
Cadw SAM BR238
Period
Medieval
Site type
Shrunken Medieval Village
Broad class
Domestic
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement is a deserted medieval village in Breconshire, Wales, designated as a scheduled ancient monument. The settlement represents the physical remains of a medieval community that contracted or was abandoned over time, leaving behind earthwork evidence of former occupation and land use patterns typical of shrunken medieval villages in Wales. The site preserves ridge-and-furrow cultivation patterns and structural platforms that indicate medieval domestic activity, providing archaeological insight into rural settlement and agricultural practice in the region during the medieval period. The scheduled monument designation reflects its importance for understanding medieval settlement patterns and the historical processes of village desertion and contraction that affected parts of medieval Britain.

Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR238. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement?

Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement is a deserted medieval village in Breconshire, Wales, designated as a scheduled ancient monument. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR238.

What period does Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement date from?

Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a shrunken medieval village. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement?

Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement 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 BR238.

What other scheduled monuments are near Tretower Shrunken Medieval Settlement?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Mynydd Pen-cyrn round cairn (6.9 km), Twr Pen-cyrn round cairns (7.1 km), Waun Cyrn round cairn (7.2 km).

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