CN361

Afon Bedol cist  

29/01/2004  

Designated  

Conwy  

Capel Curig  

270607  

360813  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Cist burial  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument comprises the remains of a burial cist, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated within open moorland on the lower SW-facing slopes of Cwm Tal-y-braich, immediately to the E of Afon Bedol. The stone built subrectangular cist measures about 1.9m from NE to SW by about 0.9m transversely within several large earthfast orthostats up to 0.3m in height. The cist has been disturbed in the past, with what is probably a large capstone lying immediately to the NW, resting at an angle on the orthostat at the SW end. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The monument retains significant archaeological potential with a strong probability of associated archaeological features and deposits and forms an important element in the wider prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape. The importance of the monument is further enhanced by the group value formed by the proximity of the cist to nearby monuments of similar date: Afon Bedol cairn and standing stone (CN360), Nant y Benglog cairn (CN370) and Bwlch Cowlyd cairn (CN362). The area to be scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is circular and measures 12m in diameter.