Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Tre'r Ceiri Camp
Llanaelhaearn, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Hillfort
- Period
- Prehistoric
- Date of designation
- 8 March 1923
- Community
- Llanaelhaearn
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 52.97440, -4.42467
- SAM number
- CN028
- Cadw record number
- 3415
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1795 "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.
The monument comprises the remains of a large hillfort dating to the Iron Age period (c.800BC - AD74 the Roman conquest of Wales), in a spectacular hilltop setting.
Tre'r Ceiri (which can be translated as 'Town of the Giants') is located on the most easterly peak of Yr Eifl, of which the summit rises to 485m OD. The defences consist of a stone wall, up to 4m high on the outside, and up to 4.5m thick at the base. The main wall encloses an irregular oval area 290m long and with a maximum width of 104m, covering some 2.02ha. There is an outer wall on the NW, about 30m away from the main wall, which forms a revetment against the slope. It is up to 2.4m high from the outside. Between it and the main wall there are irregular groups of small stone-walled enclosures which continue around the south end of the hillfort; in total the site covers some 3 hectares. There are two main, and three smaller entrances and within the main wall there are the remains of about 150 stone huts. In addition, other features such as wall-walks and stone parapets are very rare examples of Iron Age masonry. A cairn sits on the highest point of the hill, echoing the cairns on the other two summits of Yr Eifl and on Mynydd Carnguwch.
The site has been excavated on four occasions between 1903 and 1956, and has been described and planned by the RCAHMW. Finds from inside some of the huts have been dated to the 1st to 4th centuries, demonstrating that they were occupied throughout the Romano-British period. Extensive consolidation and site management work was undertaken between 1989 and 1997.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of later prehistoric defensive organisation and settlement. 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.
Nearby in the register
- Yr Eifl Summit CairnsRound Cairnunder 1 mi
- Part of Inscribed Stone Built into Wall of ChurchyardInscribed Stoneunder 1 mi
- Early Christian Inscribed Stone in the Churchyard, LlanaelhaearnInscribed Stoneunder 1 mi
- Church of St AelhaearnReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.