1. Moel-y-Gaer hillfort is an irregular enclosure occupying the summit of a locally prominant hill. It is about 214m north-south by 60-125m, defined by a bank and counterscarp except on the east, where it rests on steep natural slopes.
Finds include a Roman intaglio. (source Os495card; SJ07SE6)
RCAHMW 14.10.02
2. The Clwydian Range in north-east Wales is a curving north-south arc of hills broadly linking the Dee Valley near Llangollen in the south to the north Wales coast at Prestatyn, bordering the lowland Vale of Clwyd on its west side. The range is well known in Iron Age studies as being home to one of the largest hillforts in Wales – Penycloddiau – and a coherent group of other large hillforts. These include Moel Hiraddug to the north overlooking the coast, and to the south a group including Moel Arthur, Moel-y-Gaer Llanbedr, Moel Fenlli and the partly scree-built Caer Drewyn which overlooks Corwen and the Dee Valley. This regional hillfort group is thought to have been the distinct homeland of the Deceangli peoples, conquered early on by Roman troops in the 1st century AD. The southern hillforts were the subject of the major three-year Lottery-funded ‘Heather and Hillforts’ Landscape Partnership Scheme in 2007, and have been the focus of several recent excavations and PhD studies in the intervening years; but Bodfari remained overlooked.
Moel-y-Gaer (Bodfari), occupies an unusual position within this Clwydian group, commanding The Gap, a narrow, deep watershed which cuts through the north-south run of higher ground. Unlike its neighbours, which are usually sited on high summits, Bodfari is positioned on a lower west-facing spur of the Clwydian Range, commanding views across the Vale. Professor Gary Lock and his team selected this hillfort as a testbed for a campaign of integrated survey, including geophysics and LiDAR, followed by seven seasons of excavation commencing in 2011, with a view to incorporating the site into the wider research themes of the region. These included reprocessing and morphometric analysis of existing Environment Agency LiDAR data, providing a basemap for a topographic survey; this was an essential first step to supersede the existing 1964 Ordnance Survey plan. Geophysical surveys followed, both magnetic and resistance, together with trials of Electrical Resistance Tomography and Ground Penetrating Radar. This suite of survey approaches informed the excavation strategy, providing a precision base for all intrusive work.
Given the prevailing geology and terrain, the archaeology in places was challenging to excavate and interpret. A possible roundhouse was explored in Trench 1, but structural evidence proved fragmentary despite good evidence for nearby areas of cobbling and a structural bank. Trenches 2 and 3 investigated geophysical anomalies in the interior discovered during the survey phase, with an extension to Trench 3, Trench 3X extended to an impressive 30m to investigate the Phase 2 rampart in the south-western part of the hillfort. This produced a useful cross section of the upper rampart and rock-cut ditch, along with radiocarbon dates suggesting a terminus post quem of 410-200 cal BC for the beginning of rampart construction. Trench 4, while limited, revealed evidence for potential tool marks on the cut bedrock associated with rampart construction. Trenches 5 and 6 were perhaps the most revealing in tackling two of the entrances into the hillfort. Trench 5 was opened in the vicinity of an antiquarian trench, previously opened by Stapleton in 1908.
Among other structural details, Trench 5A revealed part of the outer face of the Phase 1 rampart (Figure 71), handsomely built with horizontal stretchers and small orthogonal headers between – a considered piece of Iron Age building making the most of the available stone. Trench 5B produced evidence for the building of the Phase 1 rampart, with ‘suspiciously early’ (p. 65) Later Bronze Age radiocarbon dates which were taken as providing a terminus post quem for activity in the area, not necessarily related to rampart construction. Other details of the gate were revealed including remnants of a curvilinear gateway recess. Finally Trench 6, measuring 12m x 10m, was sited to investigate the character of the northern inturned entrance, inadequately planned in earlier times and clarified during the survey stage. This revealed a complex surviving sequence including a hooked inturn forming part of the Phase 2 entrance, incorporating some large structural stones. This is a most interesting discovery and further helps to characterise the defensive architecture of this fort.
Finds: In total Moel-y-Gaer (Bodfari) has produced three spindle whorls; one was found in the nineteenth century, and two were found in the present excavations. A fragment of cattle mandible was also discovered in the excavations.The lack of finds at least helped to confirm a complete lack of Romano-British occupation.
Edited extract from review of Lock, G. 2022., by Toby Driver. Prehistoric Society January 2024.
Dr Toby Driver, RCAHMW. 2025
References:
Driver, T. 2024. Review of Lock 2022. Prehistoric Society January 2024.
Lock, G. 2022. MOEL-Y-GAER (BODFARI): A SMALL HILLFORT IN DENBIGHSHIRE, NORTH WALES. Archaeopress Archaeology: Oxford.
