Penycloddiau () lies across the central ridge of the Clwydian Range. The ramparts enclose an area of 21 hectares. It is amongst one of the largest hillforts in Wales. The hillfort is multivallate with extensive ramparts to the north and north west.

There are two original inturned entrances, one to the south and the other midway along the eastern rampart.

As Forde Johnston noted [i] the site is not a contour fort as it dips from the highest point in the north to the entrance at the south.

The historic county boundary between Denbighshire and Flintshire utilises much of the western rampart.

The first reference to site is in Parochialia by Edward Lhwyd at the end of the seventeenth century when he describes ‘on top of Moel Ysweiliog is an old camp close on a mile in circumference'.[ii]

Lewis' Topographical Dictionary in the eighteenth century talks about the ‘principal and most extensive of the (Clwydian Range military posts) occupies the summit from which it's strong foundations were called Bryn y Cloddiau or "the hill of the ditches"... and defended according to the facility or difficulty of access by single, double or triple and quadruple entrenchments....'[iii].

However, it is Canon Ellis Davies who gives the first comprehensive description of the site in book the Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Flintshire[iv].

In the 1960s Forde Johnston expands on the work done by Ellis Davies and suggests three possible stages of construction for the hillfort. The first includes the construction of the inner bank and inner quarry ditch, followed by a possible second phase of construction of the outer ditch and counterscarp bank with the third phase being the construction of the outermost bank and ditch. Forde Johnston does suggest that phase one and two could represent one period of building.

As far as can be established there has been no excavation of Penycloddiau in the past.

In 2004 CPAT carried out a 

togographical survey of the site which identified 43 possible

platforms. Follow the link to see a copy of their report and find out more.

In 2008 CPAT carried out an evaluation trench on the mound found inside the hillfort to try to

ascertain if the mound was natural or a man made feature, possibly dating back to the Bronze Age.

Click  here  to read a copy of their report.

Also in 2008 EAS and volunteers carried out a geophysical survey within part of the hillfort.

Their  results which included new roundhouses and a possible enclosure can be found by following the link.

In 2009 CPAT carried out an excavation on the mound within the hillfort to explore 2008's results further. Click here to read a copy of the report. Click here to read blogs from the dig.

[i]Hillforts of the Clwydian Range Flintshire Historical Society Transactions

[ii]Parochialia Edward Lhwyd 16xx

[iii] Topographical Dictionary Lewis

[iv]Canon Ellis Davies 1949 Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Flintshire