1. A curving stone rampart, about 8.0m across, with a central north-east-facing entrance, cuts off a roughly 350m extent of ridge-crest to the south-west, resting on precipitous crags on the north-west: an outer walled enclosure, 60m north-east to south-west by 30m, is set beyond a coll, about 25m to the north-east; a detached roughly 50m length of rampart, runs south from a point about 50m south-east of the outer enclosure.

(source Os495card; SH61NE3)

Description from GAT HER:

2. Description :
A hillfort extending over half a mile occupying crest of ridge of Pared y Cefnhir at SH 66461510. The NE end has rough walling and 100yds to the SW is a massive curved inner wall 150ft long with an inturned entrance. This inner wall cuts off the summit. Approachways lead up to the entrance from both sides of the ridge, and are protected by walling 200-300ft down the slopes. <1>

The flat top of ridge extends from SH 66151490 - SH66521514. It averages 60-70ft in width and is protected along the sides by natural rock barriers. <2>

An Iron Age defensive enclosure utilising a natural strong hold sealed off at the N by stone rampart, now a 8.0m wide mass of tumbled stone. Either side of entrance, the rampart rises to max of 1.2m. Outside, beyond a shallow col, is an annexe 60.0m x 30.0m in area occupying summit of a rocky crag, enclosed by walling, except to SW by a stone wall 0.4m high and 2-4.0m wide. Approach from N via a terraceway up the hillslopes through deep rock-cut ditch and from the S through a gully. Surveyed at 1:2500. <3>

Sources :
Bowen, E. G. & Gresham, C. A. , 1967 , History of Merioneth , <1>
Royal Air Force , 1958 , RAF F21 58/2649/0179-80 5-12-58 , <2>
Ordnance Survey , 1973 , SH61NE 3 , <3>

3. Field visit on 7th November 2013. The location of the hillfort has been formalised with the addition of a gateway and rampart of (now) tumbled scree at the north-east end. However, the summit of this crag is an extreme location for a functional farming settlement and is very difficult of access. Towards the centre of this hillfort the ground sinks down into a narrow, sheltered area between high walls of natural rock which even produce an echo with raised voices. This produces a very quiet and private interior at odds with the extremely exposed and commanding setting of the rocky ridge. Overall, the site is an interesting location and perhaps was used for occasional, seasonal meetings or ceremonial functions rather than year-round domestic use.

T. Driver, RCAHMW, 2013.

4. New Royal Commission aerial photography on 2nd October 2015 clarified the lines of the external defensive walls of the hillfort, surviving on hilllopes to the south-east of the hillfort.

T. Driver, RCAHMW, 2016