Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Dinas Promontory Fort, Porth Ruffydd
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 807 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Trearddur Unitary authority : Ynys Mon NGR : SH22277941 Site Type (preferred type first) : PREHISTORIC PROMONTORY FORT Status : Scheduled Monument
Description : Possible example of native fort: promontory is surrounded by precipitous cliffs and almost isolated from mainland. Only artificial defence is low grass-grown bank of stones, (average height 2.5ft) running along whole length of chasm edge. <1>
Condition: good, visible on APs (05/66/16/103-4: 3-4-66): as described by RCAHM. <2>
No apparent change from description given in 1967. <3>
Scheduled in 1981. <4>
Damage to interior caused by metal detectors finding coin, pottery, spindle whorl and bucket-mounts (see PRN1748). <5>
A small cliff promontory, isolated by erosion. It is edged with a bank on the two sides that are more accessible. There are some slight terraces inside that might be round hut platforms and there is a small but deep circular pond. There have been several metal detectorist finds of 2nd-3rd century AD date. (Smith, 2005)
The promontory slopes gently from west down to east, where the slope and the rampart come quite close to high tide level. The only possible settlement features are 3 or 4 slight possible circular platforms on the mid-slope on the east side - the only part of the promontory that has any kind of shelter from the westerly wind. Just above these is a small circular, artificially made pool in an embanked area. The bottom of the pool could not be bottomed at about 1m deep which itself is about 1m below the crest of the bank. Not previously recorded. On the outside of the landward side of the rampart and attached to it is a small circular embanked enclosure, function uncertain. If there was an entrance it could have been a guard chamber. (Smith, 2005)
Events : 41535 : Prn 807 25 Inch Survey (year : 1967) 40621 : Prehistoric Defended Enclosures in North-west Wales, 2004-5: West Conwy, Gwynedd (Arfon) and Anglesey (year : 2005) 44557 : Early Celtic Societies in North Wales (year : 2010) 45042 : Iron Age Settlements in Wales: Cadw Defended Enclosures Publication. Hillforts and Hut Groups in North-West Wales. (year : 2008) 40620 : Prehistoric Defended Enclosures: Scoping for Pan-Wales Assessment (year : 2003)
