Round Barrow & Standing Stone 700m W of Plas Gogerddan

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The visible monument comprises the remains of a round barrow and two standing stones, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC), together with below ground evidence for a multi-period burial site. The monument is located on a gentle W-facing gravel ridge overlooking the Afon Clarach. Item 'A' comprises an earthen barrow, a re-erected standing stone and the known extent of a burial site. The barrow is circular in shape on plan and measures 16m in diameter and a maximum of 0.5m in height. Aerial photography revealed that a ditch measuring 30m in diameter surrounds the barrow. The standing stone is located 55m NNW of the barrow and measures 1.75m in height, 1.2m in length and 0.75m in width. An excavation in advance of a gas main in 1986 demonstrated that the standing stone was re-erected during the nineteenth century and that it is surrounded by the remains of an oriented inhumation cemetery that dates from the Iron Age to early medieval periods. Item 'B' comprises a standing stone, which measures 1.55m in height, 1.05m in length and 0.75m in width. It is situated 170m WNW of the barrow in an adjacent field.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric and early medieval burial and ritual practices. It is an important relic of a prehistoric and early medieval funerary and ritual landscape. Excavation has revealed the presence of intact burial and ritual deposits. The monument retains significant archaeological potential, including environmental and structural evidence.

The scheduled areas comprise the remains described and areas around within which related evidence may be expected to survive. Item 'A' is centred on Area 'A'. It is an irregular polygon in shape and measures 112m NNW-SSE by 60m transversely. Item 'B' is centred on Area 'B'. It is circular in shape and measures 10m in diameter.