Description

The monument comprises the remains of an earthwork/stone-built enclosure. The date or precise nature of the enclosure is unknown, but it is possibly Roman in origin. The enclosure lies at an altitude of 305m OD on Gibbet Hill, 2 kms south of Llanfair Caereinion. Known locally as Y Gaer, it lies on the ridge south of the River Banwy, 12 kms north-west of Forden Gaer. No Roman road has yet been shown to follow the Banwy valley, but it remains a possibility. The site, which measures 50.9 by 46.3m, encloses an area of 0.24 hectares (0.59 acres). Its rampart and ditch have never been ploughed. Excavation in 1962 showed that the site was unfinished. The turf-faced rampart was 3.4m wide, fronted by a ditch 2.5m wide and 1m deep; there was a single entrance, 3.4m wide, in the east side. Nothing was found in the interior; no road had been laid and no gate built. The post-holes for the rampart walk had been filled in without posts being inserted. Outside the enclosure to the east lay a low mound of burnt material 22m across. If the site is Roman in date, then signalling is the only feasible purpose, but the plans seem not to have been completed. The mound of burnt soil and charcoal is most likely to represent clearance of the site before construction. In the absence of finds from the later excavation, the Roman date must be regarded as unproven.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of later prehistoric defensive organisation and settlement. The site 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. There is a strong probability of the presence of evidence relating to 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.

Source: Cadw