Arthog Standing Stones

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The monument is thought to comprise the remains of a burial cairn, which probably dates to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC). Four flattish upright stones and the stubs of two others form the arc of a small circle approximately 3.5m in diameter, while four further stones stand in a more or less straight line about 2m to the east. In addition there is a large quartz boulder which does not form part of either of the other two features, and a small heap of earthfast stone just S of the arc of uprights. The stones range in height from approximately 0.4m to 1m, and some bear traces of use as gateposts. Low banks in the vicinity of the site hint at disturbance by later cultivation.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The 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 structural evidence and intact burial or ritual deposits. Its importance is further enhanced by its group value with nearby standing stones and round cairns.

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