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Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales

Moel y Gest Camp

Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales

The record

Designation
Scheduled monument
Site type
Hillfort
Period
Prehistoric
Community
Porthmadog
Unitary authority
Gwynedd
Country
Wales
Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
52.92833, -4.15890
SAM number
CN059
Cadw record number
3607

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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).

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This record in Cadw's own full report ↗

Cadw's description

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

A hillfort on the W end of Moel y Gest, with two inner enclosures at the SW corner. The outer fort is defended by a stone bank which was originally some 2.4 m wide. This wall is absent on the S side, where the site is naturally defended. There is a simple entrance, a little over 1.0 m wide, just S of the NW corner.

In the SW corner of the fort, on the summit of the ridge, is an enclosure 25 m W to E by 16 m, surrounded by a bank 2.2 - 2.4 m thick, and about 0.2 m high. White quartz pebbles are visible in this bank on the W side. A modern cairn (trig. point) sits in the middle of the N side. The rectangular sheep-shelter shown on the OS 1:2,500 map is no longer obviously present. A similarly sized enclosure joins the E end of this enclosure, but the enclosing wall is much slighter (1.3 m wide) and it may be of a later date.

E of the outer fort is a short length of additional walling running between two outcrops.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric 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.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 2026-09-07, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ Cadw, the Welsh Historic Environment Service · Open Government Licence v3.0
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