Pebyll Ring Cairn

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 ring cairn of earth and stone, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). It is situated to the north east of of Abergwynfi, at 500m above sea level, on a shelf in ground falling gently to the east. The structure is oval rather than circular and measures 24.7m in length internally along a northeast to southwest axis and is 22.9m wide, defined by a stony bank that varies between 1.5m to 4m in width and has a maximum height of 0.6m. On the northeast is a portion is a of inner kerb 3.7m long; traces on the northeast and east sides of an outer kerb give the ring a width of 1.2m. On the south side of the cairn is an entrance c. 2.8m wide, with leaning and recumbent slabs. A much narrower entrance on the northwest still has a slab in position as its north-eastern jamb. In the bank on the southeast is a stone cist c. 0.6m square, open to the northeast.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The feature is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of both intact ritual and burial deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. Ring cairns may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.