Scheduled MonumentsWalesBuarth y Caerau Cairn
Prehistoric · Round Cairn

Buarth y Caerau Cairn

Breconshire, Wales
Cadw SAM BR286
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Round Cairn
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Buarth y Caerau Cairn is a Neolithic or Bronze Age funerary monument located in Breconshire, Wales. The cairn consists of a mound of stones constructed as a burial structure, typical of the round cairn form common to prehistoric Wales and the broader British Isles. Such monuments served ritual and religious functions within their communities, marking places of the dead and likely serving as focal points for ancestral veneration. The site is protected as a scheduled ancient monument under the Cadw designation SAM BR286, reflecting its archaeological significance as evidence of prehistoric mortuary practice in the Brecon Beacons region.

Buarth y Caerau Cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR286. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Buarth y Caerau Cairn?

Buarth y Caerau Cairn is a Neolithic or Bronze Age funerary monument located in Breconshire, Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR286.

What period does Buarth y Caerau Cairn date from?

Buarth y Caerau Cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a round cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Buarth y Caerau Cairn?

Buarth y Caerau 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 BR286.

What other scheduled monuments are near Buarth y Caerau Cairn?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Merthyr Tramroad Tunnel (Trevithick's Tunnel) (8.6 km), Black Pins early ironstone workings (9 km), Cyfarthfa balance pond and leat (9.1 km).

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