Dyfed Archaeological Trust Historic Environment
Record
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Pen-y-bannau
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 2040 Trust : Dyfed Community : Ystrad Fflur Unitary authority : Ceredigion NGR : SN74206692 Site Type (preferred type first) : Iron Age Hillfort Status : Scheduled Monument
Summary : Pen-y-Bannau is a univallate hillfort in a strong naturally defensive location. Its northern end lies at 340m above sea level, but the interior slopes down to the south to below 310m. Steep slopes provide a good natural defence to the west, south and east; these are augmented by ramparts. The built defence on the east and south side is provided by a wall (now rubble) and to the west by a scarped slope. At the northern end the wall increases into a substantial bank. Two further substantial banks, 1m - 2m high internally and up to 4m externally both with ditches, protect the northern, most easily approachable side. The entrance is gained round the eastern end of these two outer banks, and obliquely through a gap mid-way along the inner bank on the northern side. This is quite a complex entrance. On aerial photographs the east end of the middle bank is clearly club-ended and there is an in-turn to the inner bank on the east side. The interior is long and narrow, 190m north - south and 50m east - west. There is a natural step down within the interior 60m south of the entrance dividing the fort in two. This is so distinct that the 1st Ed Ordnance Survey 1:2500 of 1888 depicted only the northern part of the fort, and on aerial photographs the northern part seems to form the main defended area with the lower section to the south an added annexe. The site is under improved pasture. K Murphy 15 December 2005 - compiled from several sources.
Description : Small, strongly defended Iron Age hillfort on top of a steep sided ridge. Several hut circles are visible inside the defences. Hillforts are generally recorded as having being constructed in the Iron Age (circa 600 BC - 100AD) but scientific dating of some archaeologically excavated sites has indicated that they may be Bronze Age in date (c2000 - 500BC). Hillforts are usually viewed as defensive structures built with the intention of defending and securing property. They are also locations for dwellings that were used on a seasonal or permanent basis. Sites such as these may have been used over very long periods of time and, therefore, were probably put to many different uses. M.Ings 2008
Small, strongly defended Iron Age hillfort on top of a steep sided ridge. Several hut circles are visible inside the defences.
Sources :
CADW , 2007 , AM107
Ings,M , 2008 , Tir Gofal Management Plan Dolebolion W/11/5742
K. Murphy, R. Ramsey and M. Page , 2006 , A SURVEY OF DEFENDED ENCLOSURES IN CEREDIGION, 2006: GAZETTEER OF ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID SQUARES SN75, SN76, SN77 & SN78
CADW , 1988 , AM107 ,
CADW , 1993 , AM107 ,
Cadw , 2000 , AM107 ,
DAT , 1976 , CR ,
Hall,J & Sambrook,P , 2003 , Ystrad Fflur Community Audit ,
Hogg,AHA , 1962 , Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies ,
Hughes,IT , 1926 , T.Cardiganshire AS ,
Murphy,K , 2004 , Assessment of Prehistoric Defended Enclosures 2004-5, Report No 2004-100 ,
Musson,CR , 1992 , AP92-48.55 Location shot from NE, small ?enclosure 5401 in foreground shade & less def traces of 5653 ,
Nash-Williams,VE , 1933 , Archaeologia Cambrensis ,
OS , 1974 ,
RAF , 1950 ,
St.Joseph,JK ,
Events : 66635 : PEN Y BANNAU CAMP, FIELD OBSERVATION, 1974 (year : 1974) 85623 : PEN Y BANNAU CAMP, FIELD OBSERVATION, 1993 (year : 1993) 89841 : PEN Y BANNAU CAMP, FIELD OBSERVATION, 2000 (year : 2000) 94745 : PEN Y BANNAU CAMP (year : 2007) 54269 : PREHISTORIC DEFENDED ENCLOSURES: CEREDIGION (year : 2007)
