Coed y Gaer

Nearest town:
Crickhowell (7km ESE)
OS reference:
SO175240
OS sheet:
161
Latitude:
51° 54' 28.53 N
Longitude:
3° 11' 57.9 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking down on the site from the slopes of Pen Tir above, showing its position above the Rhiangoll valley. Apologies for flare, the low winter sun made it difficult to get a decent picture from here.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 29, 2012
Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The northern bank, viewed from the interior. There is no counterscarp. The steep slope makes this bank almost as formidable an obstacle from inside as outside the site. I think this may be suggestive of use for stock, rather than as a defensible or even occupational site.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 29, 2012
Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking across the interior of the site, showing how steeply it slopes.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 29, 2012
Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Looking west along the northern rampart. The hill on the right skyline is Fynnon Las, home to a sizeable Bronze Age cemetery.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 29, 2012
Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The northern rampart, looking east. Pen Allt-mawr rises beyond.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 29, 2012
Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Some landscape context, from Cefn Moel to the west. The promontory fort is in the trees, dead centre of photo. The bank of the rampart can be seen as a dark line under the trees. Pen Allt-Mawr looms above.

Image credit: A. Brookes (8.12.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Dec 29, 2012
Image of Coed y Gaer (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

The fort lies in the wooded lower slopes of the Pen Tir promontory (centre), seen from the south.

Image credit: A. Brookes (10.4.2010)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Apr 27, 2010

Articles

Coed y Gaer

C
CARL Jun 7, 2010

Visited 5.6.10.
O/S map required for this one.
I parked at the bottom of the bridle way and made my way up the very steep but obvious path. It was a hot and humid day and carrying Dafydd proved to be very difficult due to the weather and the steepness of the path. However, I somehow perservered and after about 15 minutes reached a metal gate. At this point the ‘path’ becomes less obvious but you can either go straight on or take a path to the right. Taking the path to the right takes you behind the Hillfort where you would need to make your own way (off path) to get closer to the site. The ferns were chest high and although you could make out some undulation in the ground there wasn’t anything else of note. This is a site which would be better visited during the winter months when the ferns are low. Suitable for only the physically fairly fit I’m afraid.

Miscellaneous

Coed y Gaer
Hillfort
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Mar 28, 2009

Small fort (defended enclosure?) with banks and ditches on the north and west sides. It cuts off the tip of a promontory of Pen Tir in the Black Mountains, but is actually very low lying compared to the rest of Pen Tir to the north.

Sites within 20km of Coed y Gaer

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