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Bwlch Cowlyd cairn is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales. The monument sits on bedrock composed of Caradoc Rocks, a formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down during the Caradocian period. These sedimentary rocks, which underlie much of the Welsh landscape, would have been exposed and weathered for thousands of years before the cairn was constructed, providing readily available stone for its building.
Round cairns of this type date from the Bronze Age and served as burial monuments, typically marking high-status individuals within their communities. Such structures were often positioned on elevated terrain, making them prominent landmarks across the surrounding countryside. The monument's construction would have required considerable labour and community effort, reflecting its importance in the ritual and social life of prehistoric Wales.
Today the cairn is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference CN362. This designation ensures its preservation for future study and appreciation. Round cairns remain valuable archaeological resources, preserving evidence of prehistoric burial practices, local stone-working traditions and the settlement patterns of Bronze Age Wales.
Bwlch Cowlyd cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CN362. View the official record →
Bwlch Cowlyd cairn is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CN362.
Bwlch Cowlyd 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.
Bwlch Cowlyd 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 CN362.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Capel Curig cairn (3.7 km), Bryn-y-Gefeiliau Roman Site (5 km), Dyffryn Mymbyr cairn circle (5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Bwlch Cowlyd 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.
Bwlch Cowlyd cairn stands on Caradoc Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.