BR388

Lorfa stone circle  

07/02/2008  

Designated  

Powys  

Ystradgynlais  

278601  

214986  

Religious, Ritual and Funerary  

Stone Circle  

Prehistoric  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument comprises the remains of a fine stone circle, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated on the SSW end of the gently rounded Lorfa ridge on the S facing slopes of the Black Mountain. The stone circle boasts fine views around the whole SSE and measures about 10m in diameter. The stone circle contains at least 20 stones in total, comprising several prominent stones and many smaller stones; although the circle is broken in parts (on the E and SSW), more stones may be hidden under the turf. A large quartzitic boulder is situated about 50m to the NNE and may represent an outlier; and a small but well-preserved hut circle is situated about 50m to the SW. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The stone circle is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of intact ritual deposits alongside environmental and structural evidence. The importance of the monument is further enhanced by the topographical association of the stone circle with the many Bronze Age cairns that can be found within the surrounding area. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is rectangular and measures 90m from N to S by 70m transversely.