Whilgarn Ring Cairn

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 a ring cairn, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). The cairn consists of a setting of stones surrounded by a circular earth and stone bank with an external ditch.

Although the site has sustained some damage it still retains much of its archaeological integrity in an area which has been subject to considerable agricultural activity. The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The feature is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of both intact ritual and burial deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. Ring cairns may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can be further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.