PE475

Burnt Mound 160m E of Woodsend  

21/11/1995  

Designated  

Pembrokeshire  

Walwyn's Castle  

187894  

210331  

Domestic  

Burnt Mound  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument consists of the remains of a burnt mound, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2,300BC - 800BC). A burnt mound is an accumulation of burnt (fire-crazed) stones, ash and charcoal, usually sited next to a river or lake, with hearths and/or some form of trough or basin capable of holding water either within the mound or adjacent to it. This low shield-shaped mound lies at the foot of a north-facing hill, a few metres to the south of and aligned with a small stream. It measures 7.5m in length, 5.5m in width and is 0.4m high. The surface of the mound contains numerous small stones and an auger survey of the interior revealed black soil and burnt stone. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric ritual and funerary practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and environmental evidence. A burnt mound 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.