GM038

Cairns on Cefn Bryn  

 

Designated  

Swansea  

Ilston  

252172  

188876  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Round Cairn  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument comprises the remains of three burial cairns, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). Situated on the Cefn Bryn ridge, the cairns have commanding views over the north and south of Gower. Cairn A - This cairn measures 13.4m in diameter by 0.4m high. At the west is part of a retaining circle, consisting of two lines of boulders set 1.5m apart. Cairn B - This cairn has been scattered widely and measures 25m in diameter. It sits on top of the rocky outcrop. Cairn C - This cairn measures 21m in diameter and is much spread. It is almost conjoined with the central cairn (Cairn B). 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.