Hut Circle Settlement at Gwern Engan

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

A settlement of Iron Age or Romano-British date (c. 800 BC - AD 400), which includes the foundations of seven hut circles set on a terrace overlooking marshy ground to the S of Gwern Engan lake. A small stream runs down one side and there are good views towards Conwy and Llansantffraid, but limited in other directions.

Although they are obscured by high vegetation, the huts are generally well-preserved and range in size from almost 8m across to only 3m in diameter. Associated with the settlement are small enclosures and lynchets, which indicate the outline of early fields.

Although there has been some disturbance to two of the huts, the site retains considerable archaeological potential in the extensive undisturbed areas. The proximity to wetland also increases the possibility of significant deposits where environmental data may survive while the importance of the site as a whole is enhanced by the association of the settlement with a small field system.

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