The industrial coastal belt of South Wales continues to intrigue and prove just how misplaced the somewhat prejudiced - nay, elitist - views of this traveller are at times, never more clearly than in the case of this hillfort hidden away from prying eyes above Rhiwsaeson....
A glance at the map shows apparently substantial defences. But how can this be, with Llantrisant and neighbouring settlements encroaching to the north and west and the M4 a little to the south. Surely it must have been destroyed, or at the very least be a local yobs' hangout? The truth is very different.
Heading north out of town beneath a disused viaduct, a 'Road Closed' sign halts any further vehicular progress. So I park here and revert to the Mk1 boot, full waterproofs required to keep out the downpour. Passing Ty-mawr farm on my right, a signpost proclaims the 'Fford y Bryniau' (or 'Ridgeway Walk' to most of the population) heading to the left. My old 1:25 OS map shows the hillfort to the left of the track, or, more accurately, 'exceedingly wet and muddy excuse of a track'. In actual fact, it lies to the right, crowning the high ground behind the obvious wooded hill in the right foreground. But then I wasn't to know that, was I? Serves me right for being a cheapskate and buying ex-library maps, I suppose. Due to this I arrive at the western defences first, initially somewhat underwhelmed, then pleasantly surprised at the bivallate ramparts. Seems there's life in the old 'fort yet.
A couple of locals approach around the perimeter and stop for a chat. Seems that, yes, the hillfort is on private ground but Glynn, the landowner, is a rather nice bloke who's got no issues with access as long as the usual courtesies are followed. Can't say fairer than that, can you? Anyway, carrying on clockwise around the circumferance things get a whole lot better, with not only a fine view of Garth Hill and its round barrows, but a reasonably well preserved, partly tri-vallate section of eastern ramparts to enjoy. There's also what I take to be the original gateway - two very eroded, deeply inverted, close set parallel banks - at the south-east. Hell, I like this place. Water accumulates at several locations within the defences, possibly a handy original feature, certainly of great benefit to the current inhabitants of the enclosure: sheep.
Visited this site March 2009. O/S map shows no public right of way to the hillfort although there is access around the base of the hill. When I visited I took the turning off the A4119 along the A473 - when approaching Llantrisiant from the south. At the Cross Inn roundabout take the right turn into the lane which runs past Tor-Y-Coed farm. I parked just before the farm (out of eye sight!!) and headed up through the fields to the Hillfort. I only viewed the southern defences which to be honest wasn't much to look at. However, it appears that this was the least defined section of the Hillfort and I should have viewed the other sides. I was conscious of being 'spotted' so I didn't want to hang around too long.
Coflein description of this excellent, yet seemingly unknown site.........
"Bivallate enclosure with counterscarp bank, though much of the latter with the outer ditch have been destroyed. For most of the circuit the defences comprise two close-set banks and ditches and a counterscarp bank, though that and the outermost ditch have been destroyed except on the NE sextant and for a short length on the W side. Where best preserved a typical profile measures 30m horizontally and 7.5m vertically overall.
There is no sign of stone revetment On the S, where the hillside is steeper than elsewhere, the outer defences were omitted but the innermost rampart seems to have continued along the crest of the slope , though it has been levelled. The entrance was on the SE. Here, the inner and middle banks diverge to leave between them an irregular space of about 0.3 ha. The entrance through each rampart was by a passage about 7.5m wide between parallel inturned banks now only about 0.6m high, about 15m long through the outer defences and about 28m through the inner. The ramparts near the entrance do not seem to have been accompanied by ditches or by the counterscarp bank. The enclosed area measures 230m (E-W) by 180m."
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Posted by GLADMAN
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