Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Hafod-y-Wern Long Hut
Betws Garmon, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Rectangular hut
- Period
- Medieval
- Date of designation
- 26 July 1999
- Community
- Betws Garmon
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 53.09209, -4.20149
- SAM number
- CN307
- Cadw record number
- 3839
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 well-preserved example of a substantially constructed rectangular hut of the medieval or early post-medieval period. It survives in the form of stone foundation walls set upon an artificial platform running at ninety degrees to the natural slope of the ground. The long hut has overall dimensions of 10m by 6m and the well-built walls are on average 1m high and up to 1.5m wide. The walls have been faced internally with large orthostats (upright stones), which are mostly still in situ. There are two entrances, set opposite each other, about two thirds of the way along the long walls. This identifies the structure as having had a cross-passage and probably two ground floor rooms, one on either side of the cross-passage. Since there are no visible indications of an internal sub-division, this must have been constructed from perishable materials as would the rest of the superstructure. The substantial scale of the lower walls of the house suggests that it could have been a well-built structure, possibly of unusual quality for the area.
Upslope of the house, to the west, a long line of large boulders can be seen marking a field boundary and there are further small irregularly shaped enclosures to the north, some of which have been later incorporated into the field wall surrounding the forest. Together these suggest a field system associated with the long hut.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement. It forms an important element within the wider medieval context and the scheduled area may be expected to contain a wide range of archaeological information, including chronological detail and evidence regarding construction techniques and agricultural methods. There is the potential for further structural survival and preserved internal floors.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Pentre GwynDomesticunder 1 mi
- Pont y BetwsTransportunder 1 mi
- Cae-ysguborDomesticunder 1 mi
- Detached Kitchen / Washhouse at Cae-ysguborDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.