Nantymaen Standing Stone

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 large prehistoric standing stone, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). It is located in the flat valley bottom of the Camddwr, just to the N of its confluence with the Nant y Maen. The standing stone lies earthfast in the middle of an enclosed field of improved pasture. It is roughly rectangular in cross-section and is aligned NE-SW. At the time of scheduling it leant at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the NW, but the upper 1.5m has since (c. 2014) cracked off along a line of geological weakness through its cross-section and now lies horizontally on the ground below. The monolith at the time of scheduling measured 3m in recumbent length and 1.26m in actual height. The base measures c. 1.2m in width and 1m in depth. The stones visible at the base are probably the result of later field clearance.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric ritual and ceremonial practices. The monument is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of intact ritual deposits, together with structural evidence. Its physical association with a number of round cairns to the NW and SE further enhances the importance of this monument.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is circular in shape on plan and measures 10m in diameter.