Gorllwyn round cairns

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 two large round cairns, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated within open moorland on the summit of Gorllwyn. The cairns are aligned from NE to SW and are situated 300m apart, with that on the SW measuring c.13.5m in diameter and up to 1.3m in height and that on the NE measuring c.12.5m in diameter and 0.9m in height. Although both have been disturbed in the past - marker cairns and shelters have been constructed - the majority of the base of each remains intact.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The features are important relics of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retain significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits and environmental and structural evidence. The importance of the monument is further enhanced by the group value formed by the association of the two cairns - and the topographical association of the cairns with other monuments within the surrounding area, including the Gurnos ring cairn (BR385) situated on the slopes to the S.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. Area A covers the burial cairn to the SW (Item A: SN 91589 58826); it is circular and measures 26m in diameter. Area B covers the burial cairn to the NE (Item B: SN 91806 59054); it is circular and measures 28m in diameter.