Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch

Also known as:
Pen Dinas
Nearest town:
Haverfordwest (15km E)
OS reference:
SM813233
OS sheet:
157
Latitude:
51° 51' 53.43 N
Longitude:
5° 10' 36.61 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Dinas Fawr from the NNW, with Porth y Bwch in front of it.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014
Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking back inland from the highest point of the headland’s rocky spine. Porth y Bwch settlement is on the cliff top extreme left.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014
Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking west to the neighbouring cliff fort of Dinas Fach, with Newgale Sands in the distance beyond.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014
Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The rocky ridge forming the spine of the Dinas Fawr headland.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014
Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

If there are ramparts, here’s were you’d put them – enhanced by a band of exposed rock that reminded me of the ramparts at Chyenhalls Point cliff fort in Cornwall.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014
Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

Looking across Aber-west beach to the narrow promontory site of Porth y Bwch. Ramsey Island can be seen far left, the top of Carn Llidi is just visible on the centre horizon.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014
Image of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch (Cliff Fort) by thesweetcheat

The prominent headland of Dinas Fawr, a possible Iron Age cliff fort.

Image credit: A. Brookes (25.7.2014)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014

Articles

Miscellaneous

Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch
Cliff Fort
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Oct 3, 2014

There are two possible prehistoric sites on the headlands either side of Aber-west beach.

Dinas Fawr (SM812230) is a very prominent headland on the south of the cove, thought at one time to be an Iron Age cliff fort, but current opinion is that this may not be the case. Both Coflein and Dyfed HER are not convinced. The setting is ideal and very typical for a cliff fort, with a narrow neck cutting off a wider headland. However, the spine of the headland is very rocky and sharp and there is little in the way of a flat surface area anywhere, reducing the scope for occupation.

Porth-y-Bwch (SM81212336) is the smaller headland on the north side of the cove, narrow and crumbling. Coflein records:

Three curvilinear building platforms, the largest 5.0m in diameter, set upon an isolated summit area, some 20-25m across, of a cliff-girt promontory, where a shell-midden is also recorded, connected to the main by a narrow isthmus, across which a fragment of bank & ditch has been observed.

Sites within 20km of Dinas Fawr and Porth y Bwch

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