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Arthog Standing Stones is a prehistoric kerb cairn located in Wales and protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference ME105. The monument comprises a central mound of stone surrounded by an outer kerb or retaining wall of larger stones, a characteristic form of burial monument constructed during the Neolithic or Bronze Age. This type of cairn served both practical and ceremonial functions, containing a burial chamber or grave goods whilst also serving as a prominent marker in the landscape.
The site rests on Llanvirn Rocks, an undifferentiated formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone of Whiterock age. These resistant metamorphic and sedimentary stones would have provided suitable building material for the cairn's construction, drawn from local outcrops and scattered surface stone. The geological bedrock has influenced both the monument's preservation and its visibility within the surrounding terrain.
Kerb cairns of this type are found throughout Wales and Britain, typically sited on upland areas or prominent locations. Their construction required significant communal effort and organisation, indicating the social importance of burial practices and territorial assertion during prehistory. The standing stones at Arthog represent a substantial investment in commemorating the dead and remain a testament to the monumental traditions of prehistoric communities in the Welsh landscape.
Arthog Standing Stones is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME105. View the official record →
Arthog Standing Stones is a prehistoric kerb cairn located in Wales and protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference ME105.
Arthog Standing Stones dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a kerb cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Arthog Standing Stones 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 ME105.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Castell y Bere (5.6 km), Hut Circle Settlement at Craig Ty'n-y-Cornel (5.6 km), Twll y Darren Round Barrow (6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Arthog Standing Stones'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.
Arthog Standing Stones stands on Llanvirn Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Whiterock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.