MM282

The Giant's Cave, Piercefield  

04/08/2000  

Designated  

Monmouthshire  

St. Arvans  

352457  

196283  

Monument  

Cave  

Post Medieval/Modern  

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The monument consists of a cave, partly natural but adapted as a principal feature of the famous 18th century Piercefield Walks. Giant’s Cave is a curving tunnel, cut into the rock-face through which the walk passes. The cave comprises a partially natural main chamber, with subsidiary chambers to the east. At the southern entrance is a bastion defined by low walling. The bastion outside the cave gives added interest as the point from which echo effects were created using mounted guns to fire across the Wye Valley. A statue of a giant once stood above one of the entrances. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric settlement, ritual and funerary practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.