CD246

Carn Fawr Round Cairns  

05/02/2008  

Designated  

Ceredigion  

Blaenrheidol  

281824  

290546  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Round Cairn  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument. The monument comprises the remains of a large stone-built round cairn, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). It is located on a slight knoll on a high plateau above the NW-facing flank of Plynlimon Fawr and overlooking the Afon Hengwm to the N. The source of the River Severn lies c. 750m to the SE. The cairn is circular in shape on plan and measures c. 14m in diameter and a maximum of 2m in height. The centre of the mound features a depression, which probably represents an episode of grave robbing or antiquarian investigation. It measures c. 2m in diameter and 1m in depth. Despite the disturbance, the cairn survives in good condition. 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 group value it shares with neighbouring cairns. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around within which related evidence may be expected to survive. The scheduled area is circular in shape on plan and measures 25m in diameter.