Archaeologists unearth ancient discovery on Clwydian Range

An excavation within the ramparts of the Penycloddiau Iron Age hillfort has confirmed that a Bronze Age burial mound sits at the summit, dating back at least 3,500 years and pre-dating the hillfort.

Between 11th and 22nd May archaeologists from the Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) excavated a mound found on the northern end of hillfort. The mound had been heavily eroded by the Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail which runs through the centre of the hillfort and across the top of the mound.

In 2008 a trial excavation took place to find out if the mound was natural geology or human-made. The excavation showed the mound may have been a burial mound dating so further investigation was required.

This year, although no dating evidence was found, archaeologists could distinguish the mound as being Bronze Age by looking at how it had been constructed amongst other clues.

Other ‘finds’ included a dark layer, signifying the remnants of the vegetation layer that the mound was originally built on top of; another sign to confirm that the mound is artificial. Samples of the layer were taken, to ensure that information about the climate and vegetation at the site when the mound was built could be obtained through pollen analysis.

Charcoal remains were also found, indicating burning at the mound. Soil samples were taken which can be radio carbon dated.

One of the most obvious discoveries of the excavation was the ‘robbers’ trench’ (i.e. a large hole where the burial should have been!), including a rectangular shape cut into the bedrock directly underneath the trench. This suggests that this is where a burial once was, but all original evidence has been removed at an earlier stage but never recorded.

Samantha Williams, Hillforts Conservation Officer said, “This rectangular cut, along with large stones extracted from the backfill of the robber trench, suggests that this was where a burial once was, although the robbers have taken everything. Unfortunately for us they were really good and took everything away rather than looking simply for treasure.”

Penycloddiau hillfort, which lies between the villages of Llandyrnog and Nannerch, is the largest and most visited of all of the Iron Age hillforts found on the Clwydian Range. The excavation was organised by the Heather and Hillforts Project, a Landscape Partnership Scheme.

If you would like to find out more about the excavation at Penycloddiau, please visit heatherandhillforts.co.uk where you can follow the excavation blog by Samantha Williams.

Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust are currently working on an archaeological report for the excavation which will be published on the Heather and Hillforts website in the coming months.

The three year Heather and Hillforts Project is developing a £2.3 million initiative for upland conservation work and has received a grant of £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund.