Foel Fenlli
Encyclopedia
Foel Fenlli or Moel Fenlli is a hill
in Denbighshire
, North Wales
. With a summit at an elevation of 511 metres (1,676.5 ft), it is the second highest peak of the Clwydian Range
.
A popular ascent leads south from the car park at Bwlch Penbarras
, which is also a popular starting point for ascending Moel Famau
to the north. The Offa's Dyke Path
runs around the western slopes. The remains of a hill fort
roughly ten hectare
s in area are found on the peak; the site is believed to date back to the Iron Age but was later reoccupied during the Dark Ages. The "iniquitous and tyrannical" king Benlli
(after whom the mountain was named) probably lived there c. 450
. He was admonished for opposing Saint Germanus
, and he and his castle were "consumed by fire from heaven", so the legend goes. There are the remains of strong ramparts on all sides, with an entrance at the west end. In the south-west quarter of the fort enclosure are about two dozen hut platforms; there is a spring close to the centre.
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
. With a summit at an elevation of 511 metres (1,676.5 ft), it is the second highest peak of the Clwydian Range
Clwydian Range
The Clwydian Range is a series of hills and mountains in north east Wales that runs from Llandegla in the south to Prestatyn in the north, with the highest point being the popular Moel Famau...
.
A popular ascent leads south from the car park at Bwlch Penbarras
Bwlch Penbarras
Bwlch Penbarras is a mountain pass in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in north-east Wales.The pass is on an unclassified road between Tafarn-y-Gelyn and Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd...
, which is also a popular starting point for ascending Moel Famau
Moel Famau
Moel Famau is the highest hill within the Clwydian Range on the border between Denbighshire and Flintshire in North Wales. The hill, which also gives its name to the Moel Famau country park, has been classed as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty since 1985...
to the north. The Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path
Offa's Dyke Path is a long distance footpath along the Welsh-English border. Opened in 1971, it is one of Britain's premier National Trails and draws walkers from throughout the world...
runs around the western slopes. The remains of a hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
roughly ten hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s in area are found on the peak; the site is believed to date back to the Iron Age but was later reoccupied during the Dark Ages. The "iniquitous and tyrannical" king Benlli
Benlli
King Benlli was a British king who ruled part of what is now Wales in the early 5th century. He is notorious for opposing Saint Germanus and was probably a heretical follower of Arianism. The story of his admonishment by the saint and eventual demise by "fire from heaven" is recorded in Historia...
(after whom the mountain was named) probably lived there c. 450
450
Year 450 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valentinianus and Avienus...
. He was admonished for opposing Saint Germanus
Saint Germanus
Saint Germanus may refer to:*Germanus , Spanish martyr-saint *Germanus of Auxerre , bishop of Auxerre who founded the Carolingian abbey of Saint-Germain en Auxerre named for the same saint...
, and he and his castle were "consumed by fire from heaven", so the legend goes. There are the remains of strong ramparts on all sides, with an entrance at the west end. In the south-west quarter of the fort enclosure are about two dozen hut platforms; there is a spring close to the centre.