AN041

Parciau Hillfort  

 

Designated  

Isle of Anglesey  

Llaneugrad  

249438  

384665  

Defence  

Promontory Fort - inland  

Iron Age  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument. The monument comprises the remains of an inland promontory fort, which probably dates to the Iron Age (c.800 BC - AD 74, the Roman conquest of Wales). It is situated on the end of a limestone spur and is naturally defended on the N and NW sides by steep cliffs and on the E by a steep grass bank. On the SW side three parallel ramparts run across the level neck of the promontory. The inner rampart stands 2 m above the level of the interior of the fort, and 3 m above the exterior; it is about 15 m wide at the base. A part of the external face of this rampart is visible at the N end, about 1 m high and 5 m long, of limestone blocks laid flat. The middle bank stands 0.3 m high from the inside and 0.6 m high from the outside. The outer bank is now visible only as a very slight terrace. There are slight traces of external ditches for the two inner banks. Towards the SW a narrow entrance passes through the banks (c. 5 m wide), and to the S of this the outer bank swings away from the fort to create a broad terrace over 20 m wide before swinging back in again to merge with the inner ramparts. A stone bank runs round the perimeter of the entire fort, and joins the inner rampart on the SW side. The interior of the fort is occupied by a large number of hut foundations. Some of the huts were partially excavated in 1867 and 1923, when finds dating from the Roman period were recovered. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of later prehistoric settlement and defence. It forms an important element within the wider later prehistoric context and within the surrounding landscape. The site is well preserved and retains considerable archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structures themselves may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology, building techniques and functional detail. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.