Kerry Hill Stone Circle

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 circle and a round barrow. These monuments date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). Kerry Hill Stone Circle comprises a small stone circle situated on ground sloping SW to valley of the Nant Rhyd y Fedw. Ploughing up to edge of circle has left stones on a small "platform" c. 0.25m high on south and west sides. The circle itself consists of 9 stones on the circumference surrounding a central stone. The distance from the central stone to the stones of the circumference varies between 11.6m and 13.8m approx. The distances between stones on the circumference vary between 7.7m and 10.4m. The central stone is the largest and is recumbent. It measures approx 0.35m x 0.5m x 1.3m. All stones are of sandstone. The round barrow is a funerary monument and measures 12m in diameter and survives to a height of approximately 0.4m. It is a clearly defined circular structure with a particularly distinct outer ditch. Although the barrow has been spread and reduced in height it does not demonstrate any signs of internal disturbance suggesting that any buried materials within it could still be intact.

The monuments are of national importance for their potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The features are an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retain significant archaeological potential. There is a strong probability of the presence of both intact ritual and burial deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. Their importance is 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.