CD252

Carneddau Round Cairns, Drosgol  

05/02/2008  

Designated  

Ceredigion  

Blaenrheidol  

275945  

287853  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Round Cairn  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument. The monument comprises the remains of a pair of stone-built round cairns, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). They are located on top of Drosgol, a prominent summit overlooking the Nant-y-Moch reservoir to the S. Both cairns are sub-circular in shape on plan. The W cairn (Item 'A') measures c. 14m in diameter and a maximum of 0.8m in height. A modern shelter measuring 5.5m in diameter and 1.4m in height has been built on the SW edge. Item 'B' is located 10m to the E. It measures 9m in diameter and 0.5m in height. A modern walkers' cairn measuring 3m in diameter and 1.3m in height has been constructed on the S side. Some of the cairn fabric has spread downslope to the N. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The feature is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of both intact ritual and burial deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. The importance of the monument is further enhanced by the cairns' group value. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around within which related evidence may be expected to survive. The scheduled area is rectangular in shape on plan and measures 70m E-W by 35m transversely.