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Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork is a prehistoric enclosure situated in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument. The site occupies ground underlain by Llandovery Rocks, a geological formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that shaped settlement patterns in this region during prehistoric times. The underlying geology would have influenced both the construction of the earthwork and the agricultural potential of its immediate surroundings.
The monument consists of an earthen enclosure, likely constructed during the Neolithic or Bronze Age period. Such enclosures served varied functions—from livestock management and defended settlement to ceremonial or territorial markers. The form and scale of Ynys-y-Borde reflect local building traditions and the practical constraints of working the local soils above the Llandovery bedrock.
The earthwork survives as an archaeological record of early land use and community organisation in Wales. Its preservation enables study of prehistoric settlement hierarchy, land division and subsistence practices. Protected under Cadw reference CM162, the monument remains an important source of evidence for understanding the social and economic structures of prehistoric Welsh communities.
Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM162. View the official record →
Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork is a prehistoric enclosure situated in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled monument. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM162.
Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a enclosure. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork 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 CM162.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Mynydd Myddfai, ring cairns on W end of (5.8 km), Mynydd Myddfai round cairn (6.1 km), Mynydd Myddfai Standing Stones (6.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork'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.
Ynys-y-Borde Earthwork stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.