Carnedd Howel Round 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 circular burial mound probably dating to the Early Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 1400 BC). It is situated upon the summit of a low rise overlooking ground to the south and east, and is now incorporated into a domestic garden. The cairn is circular on plan and measures about 30m in diameter and up to 1.8m in height. Although modified by garden landscaping, it appears to be largely undisturbed and has a well-defined rounded profile. It was partially excavated in c.1863, when an urn (and further fragments) of Early Bronze Age 'food vessel' type was discovered, alongside associated evidence of cremation burials. Part of what may be a Late Neolithic bowl was also recovered.

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. The importance of the site is further enhanced by the associated assemblage of pottery, particularly with the inclusion of the fragment of possible Late Neolithic date.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is irregular and measures 30m from NW to SE by up to 30m transversely, the W boundary following the existing garden boundary.