On 5th December 2002, whilst engaged in aerial prospection along the route of the Afon Cothi recording Roman leats supplying the Dolaucothi mines, a previously unrecorded later prehistoric defended enclosure was discovered close to the summit of Allt Aber-Mangoed.

The enclosure lies just south-east of the rounded summit of this ridge at 285m O.D., on a saddle of unforested ground between conifer plantations. The enclosure is polygonal, approximately 65m east-west by 80m north-south. Aerial photographs show a single rampart well defined on all but the northern side, being fairly straight on the N, W and S sides but describing a gentle arc on the E side. Outside the rampart is a good ditch with a clear counterscarp bank beyond. The main gateway lies mid-way along the west side, the terminals of which appear to overlap slightly, presumably for defensive purposes. The northern rampart terminal is slightly broader and turns in, as does the outer ditch, whilst the southern rampart terminal appears to narrow to a point. There are no definite internal features visible but hollows in the hillside along the southern part of the enclosed interior may represent the original sites of houses.

A low field bank is connected to the north-west angle of the enclosure and runs for some 50m to the edge of the confiner plantation. It may represent a contemporary field boundary or outer enclosure. The whole enclosure appears to have suffered considerably from ploughing in the past, and has only become visible by virtue of the low winter light. That said, surviving complexities of the main gateway and defensive circuit make it an interesting addition to the later prehistoric archaeology of this part of north-eastern Carmarthenshire.

T. Driver, RCAHMW