Coed-swydd enclosure

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a small defended farmstead, probably dating to the Iron Age (c. 800 BC - 74 AD, the Roman conquest of Wales) or Romano-British period (ending c. late 4th century AD) and situated on the sheltered E-facing sides of a hollow on the rolling summit of Coed Swydd. The site comprises the remains of a small subrectangular embanked and ditched enclosure, probably representing the core of a small farmstead. The monument is situated in unenclosed pasture and measures about 34m from N to S by about 24m transversely within earth and stone banks c. 5m in thickness and 0.5m in height. The enclosure is surrounded by a ditch c. 3m in width and 0.6m in depth. A causewayed entrance measuring about 4m in width is visible on the NE corner.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of Iron Age or Romano-British rural settlement and social organisation. The monument forms an important element within the wider later prehistoric context and within the surrounding landscape. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to chronology, building techniques and functional detail.

The area scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is rectangular on plan and measures 70m from NNE to SSW by 60m transversely.