Historic Landscape Characterisation

Holywell Common and Halkyn Mountain

Defensive and military landscapes

The major defensive earthwork in the historic landscape area is the substantial late prehistoric hillfort at Moel y Gaer, Rhosesmor, extensively excavated in the 1970s, prior to the construction of a reservoir. The hillfort was occupied, perhaps discontinuously, between about the late 7th century BC until some time prior to the Roman conquest. In an earlier phase a settlement of substantial timber roundhouses was defended by a timber palisade. The defences were subsequently replaced by a ditch and rampart of stone and earth, in this instance protecting a settlement of stake-walled roundhouses with numerous rectangular structures with four large posts, possibly representing raised buildings for storing grain. Few other defensive or military works are known in the area.