HLW (Gw) 8

Lleyn and Bardsey Island  

2001  

Outstanding  

Designated  

Topographically, it comprises a dissected plateau with outliers of harder rocks forming a number of isolated, but prominent, hills and ridges. Yr Eifl, the so-called Rivals in the north east are the most prominent hills, followed by Garn Fadrun in the centre of the peninsula and Mynydd Rhiw in the south west. Bardsey Island lies off the south western tip of the peninsula across Bardsey Sound. This extensive area, unlike many others in Wales, has few major monuments, few large extents of relict features, and little by way of an unifying historic theme such as, for example, the development of settlement or industrial patterns. Yet, it possesses a great and unparalleled wealth and diversity of, most often, smaller scale archaeological and historic features, which together form a cohesive and integrated whole, demonstrating both the continuity and the territorial unity of Lleyn from possibly prehistoric times onwards. There are archaeological sites ranging from the Mesolithic period to the recent past. The best known and most impressive prehistoric monuments in the area are the magnificent Iron Age hillforts crowning the summits of Mynydd Ceiri (Tre'r Ceiri), Garn Boduan and Garn Fadrun, with several other, smaller but complementary, forts on other summits.