Pen-y-Corddyn Camp

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 an Iron Age hillfort (c.800 BC - AD 74, the Roman conquest of Wales), consisting of a stone-walled, sub-oval enclosure, measuring about 400m north-west to south-east by 100-360m, occupying an isolated hilltop. It is enclosed by the tumbled ruins of a massive drystone wall with elaborately in-turned entrances. On all but the north-west side the enclosure rests on precipitous craggy slopes and here further works extend the enclosed area by some 200m.

The inner enclosure occupies the southern two-thirds of the hill, an undulating plateau, approached from the south by a steep ascent to a south entrance; from the lower third of the hill by a hollow-way to a north-west entrance, and from the north by a hollow-way/modern farm track to a north-east entrance. Archaeological excavations in the early 20th century discovered that the entrances were well-engineered, with outworks flanking the approaches on either side, ending in long, narrow passages between ramparts which were either incurved or thickened to form them.

The ramparts are visible as partly turf-covered or, more often, as spreads of limestone fragments - a double bank, ditches and counterscarp bank separating two enclosures. It is also naturally defended by steep crags and cliffs, especially on the W side. The west side of the site is marked by a series of hut circles, a further hut circle is sited in an area of scree below the SSW side of the hillfort. The greater part of the perimeter of the hilltop has no evident defences, except discontinuous lengths of quarry-ditches and an up-cast bank, generally on the east side, where it is pierced by a track down to a spring, and around the south entrance.

Pen-y-Corddyn is located above the east bank of the narrow Dulas valley, with an extensive view of the uplands of Denbighshire but a restricted view of the coast. The significant views when it was constructed were south-westwards in a large arc from north to east.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of later prehistoric settlement and defence. The site forms an important element within the wider later prehistoric context and within the surrounding landscape. The site is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.

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