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Foel Fenlli

Hillfort

<b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheatImage © A. Brookes (22.1.2011)
Nearest Town:Ruthin (5km SW)
OS Ref (GB):   SJ164601 / Sheet: 116
Latitude:53° 7' 52.04" N
Longitude:   3° 14' 58.73" W

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<b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman <b>Foel Fenlli</b>Posted by postman

Fieldnotes

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From Bwlch Penbarra we have another steep, steep climb to get up to the ramparts of Foel Fenlli. Like the opening ascent of the day some two hours earlier, this is short, sharp shock. Our legs are more tired now that they were then though, and the hundred metres of vertical ascent is harder work this time. However, the reward is utterly worthwhile. Foel Fenlli is multi-vallate, like the other Clwydian forts. It has the benefit of terrific natural defences by virtue of its positioning atop a hill with steep drops on three sides (only the eastern approach is anything but knackering for any would-be attacker). Iron Age status symbol? You bet. The Vale of Clwyd looks a looong way below us. There are good views of the nearest of the neighbouring forts, Moel y Gaer. thesweetcheat Posted by thesweetcheat
5th June 2012ce

There's no two ways about it, it's a long hard slog to get up here but if you stop two or three times and have a look about your hardship is well rewarded.Two sets of banks and ditches are well preserved on the hilltop ,a good south facing entrance that seems to enter the fort at an angle .(not seen one of them before)On a clear day you can see really far Cadair Idris ,Snowdon and Tryfan To the West and the seemingly endless plains to the east and the other Clwydian mountains north and south .The summit cairn I think is modern but it sits on a more intergrated bump that may be an ancient work of some sort.
Plenty of carparking space by the way
postman Posted by postman
13th February 2007ce
Edited 13th February 2007ce

Folklore

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Foel Fenlli is a high conical hill topped by a hill fort - it's the highest in a chain of hillforts that run along the Clwydian range. The summit has a cairn, and nearby is "a never failing crystal spring". The fort is named after Benlli Gawr. Nennius describes him as the 'wicked and tyrannical king' of Powys. Perhaps he was, perhaps he wasn't. Whichever, Saint Germanus was in the neighbourhood, and he and his friends turned up at the front door of the fort demanding to see the man. They just wanted to convert him to Christianity. For his own good, you know. It wasn't an evangelical competition to convert the naughtiest pagan they could find or anything. A message was sent to Benlli. He sent back his response: Not Today Thankyou - they could stand on his doorstep for a whole year if they liked, but they weren't coming in.

Well. That night, 'fire fell from heaven and consumed the citadel and all the men that were with the tyrant; they were never seen more'. Sounds very like arson to me. And to add to the suspicious circumstances, Germanus then took it upon himself to make Benlli's swineherd the new king of Powys. Just because he'd been nice to Germanus, made him a cup of tea and agreed to become a Christian. What a set-up.

(Nennius's tale described in vol 2 of 'Lives of the British Saints' by Baring-Gould (1913), p255.)
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
7th July 2006ce