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Castell Henllys

Pembrokeshire, Wales · Atlas WA1888

Castell Henllys is a partial contour fort in Nevern, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

It is recorded as extant, with a partial univallate and partial bivallate rampart form, surface evidence of earthen bank, stone wall, rubble, and palisade, and an enclosed area of 0.51 hectares.

Banks or ramparts are the remains most likely to be visible.

The topographic record places it on an inland promontory and a spur and at 68 m.

The aspect is recorded as level.

Recorded land use includes woodland, pasture, and scrub or bracken.

Dating evidence is recorded for 800–400 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, and AD 50–400 (Artefactual, C14, and Morphology/Earthwork/Typology). Reliability is recorded as A - High.

A scheduled monument number is recorded (PE175(PEM)).

Location

Atlas number
WA1888 (1888)
Country
Wales
Current county or unitary authority
Pembrokeshire
Historic county
Pembrokeshire
Parish, community, or townland
Nevern
National Grid reference
SN11723905
Latitude
52.01781
Longitude
-4.74533
Altitude
68 m

Form and condition

Type
partial contour fort
Condition
Extant
Morphology
partial univallate and partial bivallate
Complete rampart circuit
Yes
Number of ramparts
2
Ramparts by quadrant
NE 2, SE 1, SW 1, NW 2
Number of ditches
1
Possible original entrances
1
Breaks through the ramparts
1
Enclosed area
0.51 ha
Enclosing works, as visible
earthen bank, stone wall, rubble, and palisade
Enclosing works, excavated
stone wall and palisade
Also recorded
guard chambers, chevaux de frise, annex, and ditches
Entrance forms
Passage-way/Corridor (West); Recesses/Guard Chambers (West)

Landscape

Topographic position
inland promontory and spur
Aspect
level
Land use
woodland, pasture, and scrub or bracken

Dating

Dating
800–400 BC, 400 BC–AD 50, and AD 50–400
Dating evidence
Artefactual, C14, and Morphology/Earthwork/Typology
Dating reliability
A - High

Interior and investigation

Interior excavation
pits, postholes, roundhouses, and rectangular structures
Finds
pottery, metal, metalworking, animal bones, and lithics
Investigations
1st Identified Map Depiction (1889); Other (1966); Other (1969); Other (1981); Other (1996); Other (2011); Excavation (1980-None)

Identifiers

Scheduled monument number
PE175(PEM)
HER
Dyfed 952
National record
record SN 13 NW; monument 94989
Wikidata
Q31107861

Sources

References

  1. Crossley, D.W. 1963. List of Hill-Forts and other earthworks in Pembrokeshire, Bull Board Celtic Stud, 20, 185.
  2. Horn, J. Forthcoming. The dating of hillforts in Britain and Ireland. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of Edinburgh.
  3. Murphy, K., Ramsey, R., Poucher, P. and Page, M. 2007. A SURVEY OF DEFENDED ENCLOSURES IN PEMBROKeSHIRE,
  4. 2006-07: GAZETTEER OF ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID SQUARES S03, SN13 and SN23, Cambria Archaeology Report No. 2007/01, Project Record No. 54269, Llandeilo: Cambria Archaeology.
  5. Mytum, H. 1989. Excavation at Castell Henllys, 1981-1989; the Iron Age fort, Arch in Wales, 29, 6-10.
  6. Mytum, H. 1996. Hillfort siting and monumentality: Castell Henllys and geographical information systems, Arch in Wales, 36, 3-10.
  7. Mytum, H. 1999. Castell Henllys, Current Arch, 161, 164-72.
  8. Mytum H. 2013. Monumentality in later prehistory: building and rebuilding Castell Henllys Hillfort. Springer Books.
  9. RCAMWM 1925. An inventory of the ancient monuments in Wales and Monmouthshire, VII, County of Pembroke, London: HMSO, No. 770.
  10. Rees, S. 1992. A guide to ancient and historic Wales - Dyfed, London: HMSO, 61-2.