Aber Bechan Dyke

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a dyke, a defensive boundary or earthwork, dating to the later prehistoric/medieval period. It is notable for its complex multiple banks and ditches, which for the main part consist of a pair of banks 10-20m apart, with, at the western end, a stream running in between down to the Bechan Brook. The banks stand between 2 and 3m high. From the valley floor the dyke ascends the hillslope to the north-east, passing through Little Aberbechan Farm and continuing up the hillslope. The dyke appears to terminate at Cloddiau, but a hedgeline atop a 2m high scarp may fossilise the extended line of the dyke.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric or early medieval defensive organisation and settlement. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. A dyke may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can be further enhanced by their group value.

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