PEN-Y-CASTELL, LLANILAR
Site Details
Site Details
Online Images (2)
Associated Collection Records (9)
- NPRN
- 303578
- Map Reference
- SN67SW
- Grid Reference
- SN62997454
- Unitary (Local) Authority
- Ceredigion
- Old County
- Cardiganshire
- Community
- Llanilar
- Type of Site
- HILLFORT
- Broad Class
- Defence
- Period
- Iron Age;Medieval
Site Description
The earthworks at Pen-y-Castell, Llanilar, occupy the summit of a rounded hill in a very prominent, if low-lying, position on the south side of the Afon Ystwyth. They appear to represent an oval earthwork enclosure measuring c.113m x 55m, defended by a substantial bank, which encloses 0.4 ha. The enclosure is mutilated by a central cut which appears to be an old quarry. Opinion about the date or precise nature of the enclosure has been divided in the past; A H A Hogg writing in the Cardiganshire County History (1994, 261) considered it to be a prehistoric defended enclosure, but previous authors have interpreted it as the remains of a small medieval motte and bailey arrangement.
One factor in favour of a prehistoric date for the enclosure is the existence of two enclosures close by, which also appear to be prehistoric. The first is a trapezoidal earthwork enclosure to the north (NPRN 400287), and the second is the incomplete cropmark of an oval enclosure to the east (NPRN 400288). Not visited.
From: Driver, T. (2005) The Hillforts of North Ceredigion: Architecture, Landscape Setting and Cultural Contexts, PhD thesis, The University of Wales, Lampeter, unpublished.
