Gro Hill cairn cemetery

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 prehistoric cairn cemetery, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC). The cemetery contains the remains of at least three small round burial cairns and is situated within unenclosed moorland on the NE-facing upper slopes of Gro Hill. The largest cairn (Item A) of the three is situated furthest to the W. It is stone built and is circular on plan, measuring about 5.5m in diameter and up to about 0.4m in height. An open central cist is visible, measuring 0.9m from NW to SE by 0.5m transversely. The southernmost cairn (Item B) is stone built and is circular on plan, measuring about 3.5m in diameter and up to about 0.2m in height. A possible side slab from a central cist is visible. The easternmost cairn (Item C) is stone built and is circular on plan, measuring about 4.5m in diameter and up to about 0.4m in height. An open central cist is visible, measuring 1m from ESE to WNW by 0.5m transversely. A large capstone lies immediately to the ENE. The cairns have suffered from disturbance in the past, with probable antiquarian investigation or robbing indicated by their open cists visible. Despite this disturbance, the bulk of each cairn remains intact and well-defined and their archaeological potential remains great.

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 intact archaeological deposits and environmental and structural evidence. The importance of the monument is further enhanced by the group value formed by the association of the individual cairns within the cemetery - and the topographical association of the cemetery with the other cairns on Gro Hill (BR394 - BR396 and BR398) and with the major stone circle to the E (BR274) further increases its importance.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is circular and measures 100m in diameter.