One of the curious things about scanning OS maps for antiquarian stuff is that – like Forrest Gump’s mum’s ‘box of chocolates’ – very often you don’t know what you’re gonna get. Such is the case with Darren Camp, a first-rate prehistoric fortress rising to the south of the hamlet of Pen-bont Rhydybeddau, some distance west of Pumlumon. Appearing somewhat insignificant upon the 1:50k variety, the site never seemed to rise to the top of the ‘list’, so to speak. That is... until a chance viewing of an aerial image made clear the error of my assumption. Ah, assumptions, don’t you just love ‘em?
Yeah, although univallate, the fort is fabulously sited, with correspondingly top-class views to all points of the compass. Furthermore, although somewhat confused by the presence of a former open cast ‘silver-lead mine’, the western approach is additionally protected by quadruple outworks. Oh, and the summit of the hilltop, within the ramparts, is crowned by at least one Bronze Age cairn.... which the inhabitants clearly saw no need to remove. Or maybe even erected themselves, seeing as a ‘small cordoned pot sherd’ discovered here during a limited 1996 excavation by the wondrous Mr Toby Driver apparently has ‘Late Bronze Age parallels’? Intriguing,.