Scheduled Monuments- Full Report
Summary Description of a Scheduled Monument
Reference Number
GM498
Name
Round Cairn on Bessie's Meadow
Date of Designation
26/01/1996
Status
Designated
Location
Unitary Authority
Swansea
Community
Llangennith, Llanmadoc and Cheriton
Easting
241879
Northing
190084
Broad Class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Site Type
Round Cairn
Period
Prehistoric
Description
Summary Description and Reason for Designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument comprises the remains a burial cairn, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). The round cairn is located on open moorland at Rhossili Down at about 180m above sea level, on the line of a dry stone wall separating the upland known as Bessie's Meadow from Rhossili Down. It is 7m in diameter and 0.3m high. The cairn is constructed of boulders and turf, with a stone kurb and possible central cist.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The monument is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. Cairns may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.