Pentre round barrow

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of a fine round barrow, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated within improved pasture on the rounded summit of the large level plateau between the River Terrig to the NW and the River Cegidog to the SE. The grass-covered barrow is circular on plan and measures about 27m in diameter and up to 1.5m in height. The site boasts excellent views of the Terrig valley to the NW.

The monument is of national importance as an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual. The monument retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits and environmental and structural evidence, including traces of a buried prehistoric land surface underneath. Its survival within an area of improved agricultural land is also very rare and further enhances its importance, as does its probable association with three further Bronze Age sites. The four sites are roughly aligned from NE to SW, with the Carreg-y-llech standing stone (FL207) situated on the NE. The Bryntirion round barrow (FL208) is situated about 450m to the SW of the standing stone; with the Pen-y-stryt round barrow (FL206) about 400m further to the SW; and the Pentre round barrow (FL205) a further 450m to the SW again.

The area to be scheduled comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. It is circular and measures 36m in diameter.