Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Banwen Gwys Round Cairns
Ystradgynlais, Powys, Wales
A scheduled monument in Ystradgynlais, Powys, recorded as Round Cairn (Prehistoric).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Round Cairn
- Period
- Prehistoric
- Date of designation
- 8 August 2007
- Community
- Ystradgynlais
- Unitary authority
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.85086, -3.74639
- SAM number
- BR353
- Cadw record number
- 8
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1608 map "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 231 Merthyr Tydfil (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 14. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
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 burial cairns, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC) and situated in open moorland on a W facing terrace to the E of Gwys Fawr stream. The northernmost cairn is roughly circular on plan and measures c. 11m in diameter and up to 1m in height. There is a small hollow visible upon the W side of the cairn. The southernmost cairn is located c. 220m to the SSW on a slight local summit. It is roughly circular on plan and measures c. 9m in diameter and up to 1m in height. There is a small central hollow visible upon the cairn. The hollows on both cairns probably indicate antiquarian investigation or robbing, although both cairns remain substantially intact.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The 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, together with environmental and structural evidence. The importance of the site is further enhanced by its association with another Bronze Age burial cairn located to the W.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Bwlch y Ddeuwynt Round CairnRound Cairnunder 1 mi
- Carnau'r Gareg LasRound Cairn2 mi
- Cwm Twrch settlement and limekilnBuilding (Unclassified)2 mi
- Carn Fadog round cairnRound Cairn2 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.