Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
House Platforms to W of Mynydd Machen
Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen, Caerphilly, Wales
A scheduled monument in Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen, Caerphilly, recorded as House Platform (Medieval).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- House Platform
- Period
- Medieval
- Date of designation
- 12 February 2008
- Community
- Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen
- Unitary authority
- Caerphilly
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.60426, -3.12493
- SAM number
- MM337
- Cadw record number
- 1096
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1895 · Sheet 11. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1906 · 249 Newport (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1913 · Sheet 102. Newport. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
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 two house platforms, probably dating to the medieval or post-medieval periods and situated immediately adjacent to each other in open moorland on the sheltered W-facing upper slopes of Mynydd Machen. The larger, northernmost platform is subrectangular on plan and measures 16.5m from E to W by 9m transversely. It is terraced out on its W end, rising above the slope to a height of about 1m - and is terraced into the slope on its E end to a depth of about 1m. The southernmost platform is also subrectangular on plan and measures 12m from E to W by 6m transversely. It is terraced out on its W end, rising above the slope to a height of about 1m - and is terraced into the slope on its E end to a depth of about 1m.
The settlement presumably represents the remains of seasonal hafotai, the platforms once boasting buildings associated with summer grazing.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post medieval land use, settlement and economy. It is a relatively well preserved example of an upland settlement and retains great archaeological potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval and post medieval stock rearing practices in the upland zone, whether as permanent settlement, regular transhumance (such as the hafod system of summer pasture), or intermittent opportunistic expansion.
The area scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is rectangular and measures up to 32m from NNE to SSW by up to 26m transversely.
Nearby in the register
- Begwns Round Barrow, Mynydd MachenRound Cairnunder 1 mi
- Church of St JohnReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- War Memorial within Railed EnclosureCommemorativeunder 1 mi
- Castell MeredyddCastleunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.