Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Cwm Llefrith cairn
Dolbenmaen, Gwynedd, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Round Cairn
- Period
- Prehistoric
- Date of designation
- 2 August 2006
- Community
- Dolbenmaen
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 53.00330, -4.16270
- SAM number
- CN385
- Cadw record number
- 4168
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1795 "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
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 burial cairn, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated on a local plateau on the SW-facing slopes of Moel yr Ogof above Cwm Llefrith. The grass-covered cairn is circular on plan and measures about 6.5m in diameter and up to 0.4m in height. Several well-defined lengths of kerb are visible, the stones forming an unusual stepped effect of several distinct platforms.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The well-preserved monument is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits and environmental and structural evidence, including a buried prehistoric land surface. Its importance is further enhanced by its unusual construction.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is circular and measures 18m in diameter.
Nearby in the register
- Huts and Enclosures, Cwm LlefrithHut Circle Settlementunder 1 mi
- Huts and Enclosures above Ceunant y DdolEnclosed hut circle settlementunder 1 mi
- Field CowhouseAgriculture and Subsistence1 mi
- Bridge across the Afon Trwsgl with the adjoining tramway bridgeTransport1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.