Two Ring Cairns near Esgair Hafod

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of two ring cairns of earth and stone, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC), with central stone cists which lie on the lower part of an eastern facing slope just above and to the west of Nant Dyrys, on open moorland some 54m apart. The northern cairn is 6m in diameter, 0.4m high and defined by a low mound on which stones protrude through the grass cover. A central cist 1m long, 0.5m wide and 0.46m deep is formed by upright slabs 8cm thick, it has no cover stone and is robbed clean. The southern cairn is similar being 8m in diameter with a maximum height of 0.5m with a central cist 0.6m long and 0.3m wide, similarly robbed.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The feature is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of both intact ritual and burial deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. Ring 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.