The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Castell Prin Enclosure, Penhow

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 01022g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Penhow
Unitary authority : Newport
NGR : ST40989239
Site Type (preferred type first) : Iron Age Hillfort
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
The enclosure is situated on a wooded hilltop to the south of Wentwood and is oblong in shape with a flattish interior. It occupies the western end of the hill, with the ground sloping away to the north, south and west rather steeply.

Description :
The enclosure is situated on a wooded hilltop to the south of Wentwood and is oblong in shape with a flattish interior. It occupies the western end of the hill, with the ground sloping away to the north, south and west rather steeply.
The western half of the north side relies only on a natural steep slope for defence, and towards the east end a bank and ditch begin abruptly, with an external height of 2.5-3m, an internal height of 0.8m and a depth of 1.2m respectively. This defence continues along the east side, with particular steep slopes, the ditch ending abruptly at the southeast corner. Large stone lie in the ditch at its north end.
The bank continues along the south, with a slightly lower internal height of between 0-0.5m, and outside of this there is a berm, 5m wide, which becomes a shallow ditch in places, with a bank 0.5m high. A steep scarp 2.5m high is below this, after which the ground levels out. An inturned entrance 2.5m wide and 0.7-1m deep is in the middle of this southern side.
The defences on the western side of the earthwork consist of two scarps, the upper being 2m high and the lower 0.7m high with a wide berm between them, after which the ground drops steeply. The outer scarp on this side becomes a low bank towards the south, with a further steep scarp below it, at the bottom of which is a farm track. In the middle of this side is a short stretch of the outer ditch and bank, the former 3m wide and 1.2m deep, the latter 1.2m high on both sides. The aforementioned farm track runs outside of this defence. It was noted during the 2006 field visit by that the site is heavily overgrown the trees and shrubs are in need of management in order to not damage this site any further. (Wiggins 2006)


Sources :
Savory H.N. , 1950 , List of Hill-Forts and Other Earthworks in Wales: II Monmouthshire , The Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies : XIII pt.IV : 231-238
Secker, D. , 2004 , Castell-Prin, Penhow, Gwent: A survey of the earthworks and dry-stone structural remains
Wiggins, H , 2006 , Prehistoric defended enclosures in Gwent ( © GGAT)

Events :
E001506 : Field visit to Castell Prin (year : 2006)
E001550 : Prehistoric defended enclosures Gwent (year : 2006)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 307974 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/307974/details

Compiled date : 02-05-1988


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