Deserted Medieval Village W of St Mary's Church

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

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

The monument comprises the remains of earthworks, platforms and building footings, representing a deserted village, of probable medieval date. The site is located in a field immediately W of the church and consists of a line of four rectangular enclosures marked by scarped terraces and low banks orientated NW/SE. The two central enclosures each contain a house platform. Excavations in the 1960s revealed some structural evidence on the S of these platforms but no dateable materials. Wilcrick appears in a 12th century Deanery list in the Book of Llandaff as Wyldecryk, meaning waste or uncultivated hill, referring to the wooded hill to the N of the village on which there is an Iron Age hillfort (MM127).

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement. The monument 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 in regard to construction techniques and agricultural methods.

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