Nant Helygog ring 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 ring cairn, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c.2300 BC - 800 BC) and situated within enclosed moorland on the W-facing slopes of Pen y Brynfforchog, above and to the E of Nant Helygog. The well-preserved ring cairn is circular on plan and measures about 6m in diameter within a substantial stony ring bank about 2m in thickness and up to 0.4m in height. The interior is level and largely stone free. The ring cairn is situated in a classic location, with wide views all around and an area of higher ground immediately adjacent affording an overlooking viewpoint (perhaps indicating an element of 'showmanship' or visible social separation involved in the events that took place within them). A burial cairn is situated c.100m to the SW and is also designated as part of this scheduled monument. This cairn measures about 10m in diameter and up to 1m in height.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The monument is well preserved and is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits and environmental and structural evidence, including buried prehistoric land surfaces.

The area scheduled comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive. Area A (SH 8021 1858) is circular and measures 25m in diameter. Area B (SH 8011 1854) is circular and measures 22m in diameter.