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Bryn ring cairn is a prehistoric ring cairn situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw reference BR381. Ring cairns of this type typically date to the Bronze Age and comprise a circular or oval stone platform defined by a kerb or low wall of stones, often surrounding a central hollow or burial deposit. The monument sits on bedrock composed of Ashgill rocks—a sequence of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Ashgill period of the Ordovician. This underlying geology, comprising fine-grained sedimentary deposits, would have provided the immediate source for stone used in the cairn's construction.
The ring cairn represents a distinctive monumental form within the Bronze Age burial traditions of Wales, differing from the more common round barrows and cairns found across the region. Such monuments frequently served ritual or funerary purposes, though the specific function and date of this example remain determined by archaeological examination.
The site's protection by Cadw reflects its significance as an archaeological monument and record of prehistoric monument construction practices. The location within Wales places it within a broader landscape of Bronze Age ceremonial and funerary sites distributed across the Welsh uplands and lowlands.
Bryn ring cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR381. View the official record →
Bryn ring cairn is a prehistoric ring cairn situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw reference BR381.
Bryn 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.
Bryn 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 BR381.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Garn Wen round cairn (1.9 km), Fforest Castle Mound (3.1 km), Pen Twr ring cairn (3.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Bryn ring cairn'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.
Bryn ring cairn stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.