Hen Gaer

Hen Gaer is an Iron Age hillfort, on a hill adjacent to and east of Bow Street, Ceredigion, Wales.

Hen Gaer
Looking north-east across Hen Gaer
Shown within Ceredigion
LocationNear Bow Street, Ceredigion, Wales
grid reference SN 633 844
Coordinates52.4403°N 4.0127°W / 52.4403; -4.0127
TypeHillfort
History
PeriodsIron Age

Other names of the hillfort are Broncastellan and Caer Shon.[1]

Description

Hen Gaer ("Old Castle") is smaller than a typical tribal fortification. It is strongly defended; the single rampart is about 12 metres (39 ft) wide and 3–4 metres (10–13 ft) above the interior, with a rock-cut external ditch. On the north-east side, carefully laid stone blocks of the original rampart wall can be seen. The main entrance is on the west side. There is a circular mound outside the entrance: it is not an earlier barrow, but may be a defensive feature.[1][2]

The enclosed area includes some of the southern hillslope; it is thought this may have been to make the fortification visible from the narrow valley below, at the confluence of Afon Stewi and Nant Seilo forming Afon Clarach.[1]

See also

References
  1. Hen Gaer Coflein. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  2. Christopher Houlder. Wales: An Archaeological Guide. Faber and Faber, 1978. Page 114.
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