Bryn Seward Standing Stones and Field System with Associated Cairns

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 stone row (consisting of four stones), at least one cairn, and a field system. The stone row and cairn probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC), while the field system may date to the prehistoric or medieval period. The four stones of the row are surrounded by the remnants of a dry stone wall, probably of more recent date, and measure in turn from west to east, 1.) c.1.0m high and broad; 2.) c.2.0m high x c.0.8m at the base; 3.) under 1m high - more of a small cairn and 4.) c.1.2m high x c.0.9m at the base. The cairn is c.12.0m in diameter, surrounded by banks c.0.3-0.5m high of turf-covered spread stones; these are disturbed at the south-east, possibly by a later hut. The features lie on a slight north-facing slope, and are among a number in the local area which represent the ritual landscape along an ancient routeway through the Meirionydd hills.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices and prehistoric/medieval settlement and agricultural practices. The features retain significant archaeological potential. The standing stones and cairn are important relics of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape, and there is a strong probability of the presence of intact ritual and burial deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence, while the field system retains a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. Stone rows, cairns and field systems are often part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can be 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.