Craig yr Uchain

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The monument comprises the remains of an earthwork/stone-built enclosure. The date or precise nature of the enclosure is unknown, but it is likely to be later prehistoric. On the northern and western sides the bank survives to c.2m in height above a shallow ditch with an outer counterscarp. The southern side utilises a natural scarp, but the ditch can again be traced on the eastern side where there is a simple entrance gap. Internal features can be traced, with two hollowed areas in the west which may be house sites, and a further levelled which may be a yard. The monument probably belongs stylistically with the Iron Age/Romano-British settlements found widely in Gwynedd.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of later prehistoric defensive organisation and settlement. 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.