Ancient Monuments

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Platform Houses on East Side of Gelligaer Common

A Scheduled Monument in Darran Valley (Cwm Darran), Caerphilly (Caerffili)

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.7168 / 51°43'0"N

Longitude: -3.282 / 3°16'55"W

OS Eastings: 311532

OS Northings: 202790

OS Grid: SO115027

Mapcode National: GBR HS.355P

Mapcode Global: VH6D6.239P

Entry Name: Platform Houses on East Side of Gelligaer Common

Scheduled Date:

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 2275

Cadw Legacy ID: GM311

Schedule Class: Domestic

Category: Platform house

Period: Medieval

County: Caerphilly (Caerffili)

Community: Darran Valley (Cwm Darran)

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Description

The monument comprises the remains of 11 rectangular earthen hut platforms, which probably date to the medieval period. They are scattered along the north-east ridge, over an area of moorland overlooking the valley of the Bargoed.

Item A - Three huts side by side, each 12-18m long by 6-7m wide. Excavated by Lady Fox in 1938, producing late 13th - early 14th century pottery.

Item B - Two huts, 10-16m long by 6m wide.

Item C - Two huts, one above the other, 12m and 16m long respectively.

Item D - Isolated hut, 11m long by 5.4m wide.

Item E - Isolated hut, deeply cut into the ground, but with typical square platform.

Item F - Two huts, one unfinished.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of medieval settlement. The monument forms an important element within the wider medieval context and the scheduled area may be expected to contain a wide range of archaeological information, including chronological detail and evidence in regard to construction techniques and agricultural methods. House platforms may be part of a larger cluster of settlement and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.

Source: Cadw

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