Treffgarne Gorge Defended Enclosure

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

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

The monument comprises a well-preserved small defended enclosure, which dates to the Iron Age (c. 800BC - 43AD). The enclosure lies on the east side of Treffgarne Gorge, under coniferous forest, and on land which is sloping away to the west. It consists of a bank and ditch encircling an area 25m in diameter. Both bank and ditch survive for the whole circuit and, unusually, a simple entrance also survives with a single course of masonry showing the shape of a curved bank terminal. The external ditch is 4m wide and, at its deepest, 3m deep. The internal height of the bank is up to 1.5m. A counterscarp bank beyond the ditch stands up to 0.75m in height, and runs around the exterior of the W and NW side of the site. The bank is constructed of earth and shale, with at least parts of a stone revetment.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of Iron Age settlement; unusually it retains visible evidence for the construction and original appearance of the defended enclosures which are found throughout west Wales. The monument is noteworthy for its strong group value with at least seven other defended enclosures surviving within a mile-and-a-half stretch of the steep-sided Treffgarne Gorge. It has high potential to provide information about the lay-out, use and chronology of these sites.

The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is circular, measuring 55m in diameter.