GM276

Pen-Rhiw-Angharad Round Cairns  

 

Designated  

Neath Port Talbot  

Clyne and Melincourt  

280010  

199125  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Cairnfield  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument comprises the remains of eight prehistoric round cairns, burial mounds probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC). Item A: Cairn measuring 12m north-south by 7.6m east-west and 0.5m high with an irregular top. Item B: Cairn measuring 3m in diameter and 0.5m high. Item C: Curving section of earthen bank measuring 13.7m long (east-west), 0.5m high and spread to 3m at the centre. It is bowed 2m to the north. Item D: Cairn measuring 4.3m in diameter and 0.3m high. The centre shows signs of disturbance. Item E: Cairn measuring 2.5m in diameter and 0.3m high. Item F: Cairn measuring 3m in diameter and 0.3m high. The centre has been disturbed and a slab measuring 1m by 0.6m by 0.2m thick has been displaced to the south. Item G: Cairn measuring 4.3m in diameter and 0.5m high. Item H: Cairn measuring 9.5m from north-east to south-west but only 7m transversely where it adjoins a forestry track on the south-east. It is 0.3m in height and a hole in the centre measuring 3m in diameter has a slab 1m by 0.8m and 0.2m thick partially embedded in its south-west side. Item J: Cairn measuring 2m in diameter with height of 0.1m. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The features are important relics of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retain significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits and environmental and structural evidence. The area scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.