Scheduled MonumentsWalesBedd Gorfal Ring Cairn
Prehistoric · Ring Cairn

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn

Meirionnydd, Wales
Cadw SAM ME135
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Ring Cairn
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM ME135
Authority
Cadw
Designated
1992-05-06
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn is a prehistoric monument located in Wales, protected by Cadw under reference ME135. The site sits on bedrock formed during the Middle Cambrian period, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone geology typical of this ancient epoch. Ring cairns are Bronze Age monuments consisting of a ring of stones, often built as ritual or burial structures.

The monument occupies a landscape shaped by these Middle Cambrian sedimentary deposits, which have weathered to create the terrain characteristic of Welsh uplands. The stone materials available locally would have derived from this same underlying geology, making the cairn a product of its specific geological setting.

As a protected heritage monument, Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn forms part of the Bronze Age archaeological record of Wales and contributes to our understanding of prehistoric ritual and burial practices across the region. The monument remains a significant element of the cultural heritage landscape, preserved under Cadw's guardianship.

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME135. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn?

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn is a prehistoric monument located in Wales, protected by Cadw under reference ME135.

What period does Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn date from?

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a ring cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn?

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn 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 ME135.

What other scheduled monuments are near Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Pont Scethin (7.9 km), Craig-y-Ddinas Camp (8.1 km), Cors-y-Gedol Settlements & Field System (8.1 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn

Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn stands on Middle Cambrian, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.

The wider landscape

Around Bedd Gorfal Ring Cairn

Bryn Celli DduArchaeological site · ~25 miles