Derlwyn round barrow cemetery

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 prehistoric round barrow cemetery, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC). The cemetery comprises three barrows, situated in improved grazing and roughly aligned from NW to SE along the rounded brow of a ridge protruding from the NW flank of Mynydd Llanybyther. The north westernmost barrow, Item A, is a grass-covered earth and stone mound, circular on plan and measuring 13m in diameter and up to 0.7m in height. The central barrow, Item B, is a grass-covered earth and stone mound, circular on plan and measuring 5m in diameter and up to 0.2m in height. The south easternmost barrow, Item C, is a gorse-covered earth and stone mound, circular on plan and measuring 17m in diameter and up to 0.8m in height.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial rites, social organisation and the environment. The features are important relics of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retain significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of both structural evidence and the presence of intact burial or ritual deposits.

The scheduled areas comprise the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. Area A (SN 5174 4105) is circular and measures 20m in diameter. Area B (SN 5187 4093) is circular and measures 15m in diameter. Area C (SN 5217 4088) is circular and measures 25m in diameter.