Round Barrows 400m NNW of Beili Hwlyn

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 four earthen built round barrows, which probably date to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC). The barrows are circular in shape on plan and have rounded profiles. The group is also known as the Cwm Difwg Barrow Cemetery. Barrow A, the southernmost of the three on the west of the road, is c.12m in diameter and c.1m high. There are slight traces of a ditch which appears to be cut by that of Barrow B. Barrow B lies a very short distance to the north of Barrow A; it is c.10m in diameter and c.0.9m high, with traces of a ditch most clearly visible around the northern side. Barrow C (SN 9904 7398, c.10m to the north of Barrow B) was included in the original scheduling, when it was described as being c.9.5m in diameter and c.0.9m high, but a rescue excavation was carried out c.1961, revealing traces of burnt timber and cremated bone, and more recent commentators have failed to find it. Remains may survive below ground. Barrow D lies to the east of the road; it is c.8m in diameter and c.1m high, with traces of a ditch on the north and east. The north-western side has been slightly clipped by the road.

The monument is of national importance for its 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. Barrows 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.