Dinas Cadnant Hillfort

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

A range of later prehistoric-style settlement features set across a rocky ridge or platform, extending over an area of 148m north-west to south-east by 100m north-east to south-west. These can be resolved into three discrete clusters, each apparently constituting a separate enclosed settlement.

1. At the craggy north-western end of the site is a cluster of perhaps five roundhouses, generally about 6.5m across, with a two cell rectangular structure. These appear to have been set within a walled enclosure of perhaps 65m by 35m, the wall partly following the edge of the crags.

2. To the south-east is a rectangular complex, roughly 50m north-south by 30m, consisting of two rows of oblong compartments or buildings either side of a long central court.

3. On the south-west is a group of three roundhouses set within a roughly 30m by 22.5m walled court in the shadow of the crags fringing the ridge on this side.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric/Romano-British settlement and defence. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structures themselves may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.