Long Houses, Enclosures & Field Systems, Bardsey Island

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

A series of long huts (numbering four or more) situated on the N and NW coast of Bardsey Island, with an area of ridge-and-furrow. The hut walls are visible as low banks, generally less than 0.2 m high and 1.5 m - 2 m wide. All are aligned roughly N-S.

There are three scheduled areas. The largest covers a strip along the N coast about 400 m long and up to 100 m wide. There is one rectangular hut in this area with an attached enclosure. At the E end of the Scheduled Area is an area of ridge-and-furrow.

There is a smaller Scheduled area with one rectangular hut in this.

SW of the above is a slightly larger Scheduled Area containing two or possibly three rectangular huts. Ridge-and-furrow is just visible in this area.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement and agriculture. 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 farming techniques.

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