Pen-y-Gaer

The Iron Age fort of Pen y Gaer

The Roman fort is overlooked by a hillfort called Y Gaer. The hill dominates the Roman fort, and towers over the village of Llanbedr-y-Cennin. What can be said of Y Gaer? Strong stone walls encircle the summit of the cone shaped hill. Not considered a ‘peak’ of the Carneddau range, this distinction can only be said of Y Gaer’s westerly neighbour, Pen y Gader, which stands at 1625 feet above sea level, while Y Gaer tops out at around 1100 feet. The narrow irregular summit of the hill is encircled by the two stone walls, no rampart is necessary on the north and east sides, due to the precipitous nature of the ground, and this encloses an area of 250 x 150 metres. The twin walls, there are even three at the north, which may have been of different periods, were fairly massive at 4.5 metres thick, though are now much ruined. These are only constructed on the south and west sides, and in these areas are matched up with double rock cut ditches. The majority of the summit is not suitable for occupation, being boggy, irregular and windswept, so therefore the twenty or so hut sites are built closely to the interior of the inner stone wall avoiding the slope on the north and south sides, similar to examples seen at Tre’r Ceiri hillfort, Lleyn. The west entrance is original, while the south is modern, though the well defined foundations between the stone walls at the west gate are a Medieval longhouse. Excavation by Willoughby Gardner, which was only of a trial nature revealed nothing conclusive, though iron working was discovered in one of the huts, even today extensive iron slag can be viewed between the ditches at the south rampart. Interestingly no Roman material was found, though further excavation could change this. The fort is supplied with ground defenses called chevaux-de-frise, for which it has earned some distinction because these are not common in North Wales. These stood at the west gate and possibly for another gate at the south side. Roughly two feet high, and pointed, the deposit was 80 x 30 metres at the south area, and 50 x 40 metres at the west gate, though old antiquarian accounts claim more existed in times gone by. The aim was to confound a rush at the inherent weak points, some have suggested a cavalry charge, but it is difficult to conceive the value of cavalry storming a stone walled fort. However they would have made a mass run difficult, breaking ankles, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. No hillfort in North Wales has these chevaux-de-frise, which are slightly similar to the Roman ‘lilia’ (pointed ditch stakes) or even the typical palisade stakes carried by most Roman troops, but they are known in South Wales.

Chevaux-de-frise are considered by Christopher Houlder to be of ‘foreign origin’ but are seen to be a new innovation, and reached Craig Gwrtheyrn, south of the Teifi, Foel Trigarn, North Preseli, and Poll Carn, Cleddau. The deployment of these at Y Gaer stand between the two stone walls, therefore this suggests the outer wall was earlier.

Y Gaer Looking East from Bwlch y Gaer

Chevaux-de-frise Remaining at the West Gate

The Western Entrance

Looking North From Y Gaer Toward Kanovium Roman Fort

Looking north from the summit of Y Gaer reveals a substantial vista, the Conwy river can be traced to the estuary, both the Ormes are visible, as is the hillfort of Bryn Euryn at Colwyn Bay. Kanovium fort is about 1000 feet below, and is just slightly above centre, a better idea of the fort siting can be obtained by following this link. There is a local myth that the local Britons kept a crafty eye on the Roman fort below, this obviously cannot have been so. The Roman army at this point in time would surely have pacified a local family aristocracy living just two miles as the crow flies from their fort. There can be no doubt this fort is an important one, while we have the two tiny forts of Craig y Dinas and Caer Bach north of Y Gaer, there are no hillforts east until Pen y Corddyn Mawr, about ten miles. North there are no hillforts for five miles until Conwy Mountain, or about seven miles to Bryn Euryn, south is even less represented, so it seems Y Gaer may have been home to a fairly powerful Iron age clan, but we have no evidence to claim they were in residence during the early Roman period. It is thought hillforts represented the leader’s home, and are often aligned with field boundaries, therefore it is likely all the people living in the Caerhun area basically lived a feudal lifestyle subject to the clan chief at Y Gaer. The chevaux-de-frise seems to suggest new ways of doing things, a possible Bronze age fort is refortified and fitted with anti personnel stone beds during the late 1st century B.C. Possibly Belgic tribes are fleeing to North Wales after being defeated by Julius Caesar in their Gaulish homelands. Possibly these forts are rebuilt by the Belgics or because of them, times are getting more violent, cattle raiding more common place. The chevaux-de-frise would not have hampered the Roman army greatly we have no evidence for any Roman active or training assaults on the fort (though it is slighted) but it could easily have been pounded by field guns from the area of Bwlch y Gaer, followed by negotiation, I don’t feel anyone would wish to remain on that hill with 500-900 Roman troops two miles away and in sight, so any myths will have to remain so until excavation can prove the occupation phases of the fort. But we can speculate on the relationship between these mountain folk and the newly arrived Roman auxiliary garrison. As we are unsure to the circumstances of the annexment we cannot perceive the treatment given to the local people. If they surrendered without a fight did they receive good treatment and be allowed to cooperate with their new masters? The Roman army depended on trade so it is possible cordial relationships existed, though it is likely many local men would have been set to work in Roman mines or equally forced or invited to join their army. The army needed large amounts of food and fodder, so friendly relationships would have alleviated this problem. But the tribe occupying this area, probably the Ordovices, had been notoriously anti Roman, and like the Silures of South Wales, had been a continual headache to Roman Governors, Quintus Veranius had actually been driven to his death bed by the Silures. Tacitus records an ‘ala’ of cavalry being routed by the Ordovices just prior to Gnaeus Julius Agricola becoming Governor, so it certainly wasn’t all cordial. But we have no evidence, Y Gaer could easily have been derelict by the founding of the Roman fort, but it is likely the mountain folk became pacified. The civil settlement at Caerhun has been described as the ‘single most example of ‘romanisation’ in the immediate area’, and the market place would have supplied the local folk with many new things.

Y Gaer is open to the public, and free access is provided via a public footpath from Bwlch y Gaer, a short walk over the pass indicates there may be occupation outside the south rampart. If travelling up the Conwy valley on the B5106, turn right at Llanbedr-y-Cennin, Ty Bedol pub, a drive of about one and a half miles brings you to Bwlch y Gaer, but it is only recommended for off road vehicles.

Sources for this Page

The Penguin Guide to Prehistoric England and Wales. James Dyer, Penguin Books, 1981.

Wales : An Archaeological Guide, Christopher Houlder Faber & Faber 1975.