Moel Arthur (SJ145660) lies to the south of Penycloddiau. It is a small, circular hillfort, crowning a very prominent hill within the Clwydian Range.

The ramparts are slight on the west, where they form the boundary between Flintshire and Denbighshire, but much more developed to the north.The hillfort is 2 hectares in size. It has one inturned entrance way in the north east.

Wynne Ffoulkes carried out some excavations in 1849 although the precise locations or numbers of trenches are not clear. He did find traces of regularly built dry-stone walls as well as some ‘coarse red Roman pottery, and flint arrowheads and corroded iron[i]'.

In 1962, following a severe rainstorm, a hoard of three copper Bronze Age flat axes were found within the defences of the site[ii] .

It is Forde Johnston who first notes the existence of guardchambers at the entrance way and the narrow access and commanding slope of the ramparts at the entrance. He suggests that the inner bank on the north is the first phase of construction with the outer bank built subsequently.

A topographical survey was carried out by EAS in 2006. Here they suggest that the phasing is opposite to Forde Johnston's hypothesis. To find out more follow the link to the report.

[i] Wynne Ffoulkes 1850 Archaeologia Cambrensis

[ii] Forde Johnston 1965 Archaeologica Cambrensis