1. Excerpt from: RCAHMW, 1986. Brecknock (Brycheiniog) Inventory, pp 119-123.

(HF 64) Crug Hywel

Crug Hywel is a prominent, small, pear-shaped plateau with steep rock edges and an undulating surface between 437 m and 451 m above O.D., 2.3 km N.N.E. of Crickhowell. The hilltop is a S. spur of Pen Cerrig Calch which rises to 701 m above O.D., 1.7 km to the N.W. In other directions the ground falls away steeply to the Usk and Grwyne Fechan valleys. The site is an ideal temporary refuge, being easily defensible [note: There is no reason why the hillfort could not have been a permanently occupied defended settlement, Toby Driver 2025]. The sides of the plateau have been scarped artificially into defences comprising a main upper perimeter and a strong counterscarp.

Because of the differential way in which erosion affects the plateau the remains in the S. and S.E. are better consolidated by moorland turf than those further N. where the scree on the scarps is looser and the crags below are partially exposed. At the pointed N. tip the upper edge consists of low cliffs of bare rock. While natural agencies have done most of the damage to the edges of the defences, the upper part and the interior have been interfered with by humans who have robbed the upper stone defensive wall and built several small stone shelters in the rampart and interior. Disturbance of the interior is still taking place.

The site measures internally 162 m N.W. to S.E. by 59 m, an area of about 0.63 ha. Around the edge of the plateau are the remains of a stone wall. On the S. and S.E. it is a turfed, stone bank, generally low but reaching 1.7 m high S. of the entrance. On the W. and N.E. only the edge of the wall is turf-consolidated, up to 0.6 m high, the crest of the mound consisting of a loose stony area about 1.6 m wide from which boulders have been robbed. In places on the W. there is a suggestion that the base of the core of the wall consisted of stones pitched on edge in a shallow trench. Except at the N. tip of the plateau, there is a steep scree-masked scarp below the wall, generally between 7 m and 8 m high. At its toe are the remains of a rock-cut ditch. This is readily visible as a rock-strewn hollow on the E. but on the S. and W. it is represented mostly by a narrow terrace partly masked by scree. The outer face of the counterscarp is another stony scarp between 4 m high on the N. and 7 m high on the S. There is no ditch beyond it unless the small area of quarrying below the N. tip is an unfinished attempt.

There is a single entrance on the E. where both the main ramparts and counterscarp are inturned on either side of a steeply inclined passageway which narrows to the site of a gate 1.75 m wide at the terminals of the inner rampart. Immediately W. of this point, inside the fort, there is a distinctively sunken area. Leading N. around and down the hillside from the entrance is a terraced trail, part of a network of tracks of various dates crossing the hillslopes in the vicinity.

In the interior four shallow oval depressions, probably hut sites, are attached to the rear of the defensive wall (Fig. 151, A-D). Their dimensions are: A, 11.5 mby 10.2 m; B, 9 m by 9 m; C, 8 m by 6.5 m; D, 11.5 m by 11 m. There are other vague depressions in the S. half of the interior which may be hut sites. Behind the N. inturn of the inner rampart is a hollow which may be another hut site. Behind the S. inturn of the inner rampart is a sub-rectangular area defined by a low stone bank about 0.3 m high which is probably a later shelter.

On the slopes to the S.W. of the fort are several structures of different periods. Two features appear to be of considerable antiquity (Fig. 150, X and Y). X is a small, semi-circular hillslope enclosure, 19 m N.W. to S.E. by 12 m, open on the uphill side and defined by a sandstone rubble bank up to 0.5 m high.

Added by Dr Toby Driver, RCAHMW

2. Description from Uplands Archaeology Initiative fieldwork

Crug Hywel hillfort is located upon Crug Hywel (Table Mountain). The fort is tear-drop shape in plan, tapering towards the northwest end, and encloses an area roughly 100 metres northwest-southeast and 50 metres northeast-southwest. The interior slopes towards the southeast end. The fort is entered through the northeast side, through a gap in the rampart and inner defensive wall roughly 8 metres wide. The inner defensive wall has collapsed to 5 metres wide and approximately 0.3 metres tall. The rampart wall is better preserved, standing to a maximum of 2 metres high, although it has become flattened on the south and southwest sides. The vertical distance between the bottom of the rampart and the top of the inner wall is roughly 10 metres. Two hut platforms and a hut circle are located against the inside face of the inner wall on the northwest side of the fort. There is also evidence of a round building to the south of the entrance. The ground cover was grass at the time of survey.

N.A. Vaughan, ArchaeoPhysica Ltd, 09 May 2007

References:

RCAHMW, 1986. An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Brecknock (Brycheiniog) The Prehistoric and Roman Monuments Part ii: Hill-forts and Roman Remains

Driver, T. 2023. The Hillforts of Iron Age Wales. Logaston Press

Site Record

Crug Hywel Camp; Crug Hywel hillfort