CN076

Yr Eifl Summit Cairns  

 

Designated  

Gwynedd  

Pistyll  

236483  

344736  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Round Cairn  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument. The monument comprises the remains of two burial cairns, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC), in a spectacular setting on the summit of Yr Eifl at approximately 564m OD. The cairn on the actual summit, formed of large stones, is very large and impressive. It is c.7m high and has an Ordnance Survey trig. pillar built on it. The smaller cairn, which lies 25m to the SW, has been more or less levelled, although it is still quite clear where it was. It consists of a pile of loose stone c.11m in diameter and 0.7m high with concentric rings of small upright stones holding the body of the cairn in place. A small modern cairn has been built on top. Both cairns are being constantly disturbed by visitors as they create hollows and small cairns from the loose stone. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric funerary and ritual practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structures themselves may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.