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Craig yr Ychain
Hillfort &
Enclosure

Not much is known about the fairly oval enclosure to the south west of Llandrillo. It is an impressive feature, some 63m west to east and some 45m north to south, occupying a northern spur of land overlooking the village below, with the River Dee winding its way through the valley to its west. To the south and south west of the site are steep slopes, affording a substantial obstacle to any approach. The much mutilated entrance to the site is to the east. Its position would seem to have commanded the near vicinity, controlling the flow of traffic south and perhaps along the Dee. There is the suggestion of building platforms in the heavily overgrown northern part of the enclosure. So a hillfort then or perhaps a defended farmstead of some stature. Quite right. As such, dating it of the Iron Age or perhaps late Bronze Age seems fairly safe.

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A view along the eastern rampart.

But that is not the entire picture, since there would seem to be an enclosure to the near north east of the hillfort. The obvious inference is that they are related, and that is likely the case - the enclosure operating as a pen for livestock. A rectangular feature, some 50m across. the entire site remains something of a mystery, and as far as can be said, there has never been an archaeological investigation of any substance. One wonders as to the stories it may yet tell.

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Further Reading

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H. Burnham, A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Clwyd and Powys, HMSO, 1995

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