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Abercynafon Neolithic Site is a waterlogged prehistoric deposit in Wales that has preserved organic remains from the Neolithic period. The site's exceptional preservation results from its position overlying Lower Devonian bedrock of sandstone and conglomerate, which creates conditions conducive to waterlogging. These Early Devonian rocks, laid down over 400 million years ago, form an impermeable base that sustains the wet environment essential for maintaining fragile archaeological material.
The waterlogged nature of Abercynafon makes it of particular archaeological significance, as wet deposits exclude oxygen and inhibit the decay of organic materials such as wood, bone, and plant remains that would otherwise decompose. This preservation allows insights into Neolithic subsistence practices, technological choices and environmental conditions that drier sites cannot provide. Objects recovered from waterlogged contexts often retain details of construction and use that inform understanding of daily life in prehistoric Wales.
The site is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage monuments service, under reference BR249. This designation recognises the scientific and cultural value of the deposit and ensures that its archaeological potential is safeguarded. Waterlogged Neolithic sites are relatively uncommon in Wales, making Abercynafon a notable resource for understanding the earliest farming communities and their relationship with the Welsh landscape.
Abercynafon Neolithic Site is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR249. View the official record →
Abercynafon Neolithic Site is a waterlogged prehistoric deposit in Wales that has preserved organic remains from the Neolithic period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR249.
Abercynafon Neolithic Site dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a waterlogged deposit. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Abercynafon Neolithic Site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is BR249.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Enclosure East of Nant Cwm Moel (7 km), Cae Burdydd Castle (7.6 km), Enclosure on Coedcae'r Ychain (8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Abercynafon Neolithic Site's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Abercynafon Neolithic Site stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.