The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Earthwork, Blaen Cwm Bach, Tonna

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00615w
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Tonna
Unitary authority : Neath Port Talbot
NGR : SS79349882
Site Type (preferred type first) : Iron Age Enclosure
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Blaen-cwm Bach is a small earthwork standing on the edge of a natural scarp, which provides a natural defence to the north. It consists of a curved bank with a ditch on the SE, about 9m wide and 1.5m high overall, forming the south-east part of a circle.

Description :
Blaen-cwm Bach is A small, incomplete univallate enclosure, in a ledge position, measuring about 100m east-north-east to west-south-west, by 50m transversely. It stands on the edge of a natural scarp, which provides a natural defence to the north. It is on the east of Tonna, immediately to the north- west of the roman camp, about 250m above OD. It consists of a curving bank with an outer ditch both of which have been destroyed to the west and terminates at steep natural slopes in the north. The curved bank, which shows a stone content, and the ditch are on the SE, and are of about 9m wide and 1.5m high overall, forming the south-east part of a circle. The bank is 4.0m wide and has an average height of 0.5m. The ditch is 5m wide and 1.3m deep in the north. There is a gap in the circle of about 7.5m with a corresponding causeway across the ditch, about 30m from the north end. The structure is probably an unfinished ringwork, if completed, it would have enclosed about 0.1ha. The earthwork is grass covered and there is no visible trace of internal habitations (RCAHMW 1976 ; D EDWARDS, OS, 1956 ; AM7 ; OS1982).

A small earthwork stands near the NW corner in the Roman marching camp on the ridge E of Tonna (No. 739) at about 250m above OD A bank with a ditch on the SE, about 9m wide and 1.5m high overall, forms in plan the SE quadrant of a circle of about 50m radius, with centre and N end on the edge of a steep natural scarp. There is a gap about 7.5m wide, with a corresponding causeway across the ditch, about 30m from the N end. The bank is of earth with much rubble, but no revetment is visible. There is no indication that the rampart ever extended further; the structure is probably an unfinished ringwork. If completed, it would have enclosed about 0.1ha. (Wiggins and Evans 2005)

Sources :
Wiggins, H and Evans, E , 2005 , Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan with recommendations for fieldwork
01/Desc Text/Cadw/ Full Management Report/2005/Copy in further information file
RCAHMW, 1976, An Inventory of The Ancient Monuments In Glamorgan, I, ii, p25 (num.627), fig. 24.
Helen BURNHAM, CADW, 1986,Scheduled Welsh Historic Monuments, visit text (sam GM277, last visited in 2006).
D. EDWARDS, CADW, 1956,Scheduled Welsh Historic Monuments, visit text.
AM7, Visit Text
OS, Visit Text,1982

Events :
E000449 : BLAEN CWM BACH, PARTIAL EXCAVATION, 1975 (year : 1975)
E001455 : Prehistoric defended enclosures in Glamorgan (year : 2005)
E002947 : Baglan Bay gas pipeline. DBA (year : 1999)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 307217 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/307217/details

Compiled date :


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