Llainwen Round Cairns

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of six prehistoric cairns, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). The cairns are located in upland moorland pasture on the S-facing flanks of Llain Wen and together form a cairn cemetery. All the cairns are circular or oval in shape on plan. Item 'A' measures 5.5m in diameter and 0.5m in height. Item 'B' measures 3.5m in diameter and 0.25m in height. Item 'C' measures 8m in diameter and just under 1m in height. Item 'D' measures 8m in diameter and 0.5m in height. Item 'E' measures 5m in diameter and 0.5m in height. Item 'F' measures 11m in diameter and 0.5m in height. Cairn 'A' features an exposed cist. Items 'C', 'D' and 'E' may also feature the remains of exposed central cists. The bulk of each cairn remains intact and well defined.

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. There is a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. The importance of the monument is further enhanced by the group value formed by the association of the individual cairns.

The area scheduled comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. Each area is circular in shape on plan and measures 20m in diameter.