Cwm Henwen round barrow

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 a small burial cairn, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated within enclosed rough pasture on the E-facing slopes above and to the W of Cwm Henwen, on the flanks of Mynydd Bach Trecastle and with fine views to the ESE down the valley containing the Afon Usk. The grass-covered cairn is circular on plan and measures about 11.5m in diameter and 0.8m in height. Although there are signs of disturbance - a likely corn-drying kiln has been built into its NE side - the cairn appears substantially intact, with a well-defined edge.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The well-preserved 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 and structural evidence. The topographic association of the cairn with several other Bronze Age burial cairns, standing stones and stone circles (all on the upland ground of Mynydd Bach Trecastle) further enhances the importance of the site.

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 25m in diameter.