© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Cairn on the Blorenge is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference MM219. The monument sits upon bedrock of the Millstone Grit Group, a Namurian-age formation comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that underlies much of the landscape in this region. This geological foundation is typical of the upland terrain where such burial monuments were commonly constructed during the Bronze Age.
Round cairns of this type functioned as burial monuments, with cremated or inhumed remains deposited within stone-built chambers or grave pits at the centre. The stone comprising the cairn would have been gathered from the local landscape, utilising the ready supply of stone from the surrounding bedrock and scree. The monument's location on the Blorenge reflects the Bronze Age preference for prominent hilltop positions, which offered visual prominence across the landscape and practical advantages for construction.
The cairn represents an important element of the prehistoric funerary landscape of Wales, part of a wider tradition of communal and individual burial practices that extended across Britain during the Bronze Age. Such monuments can preserve substantial archaeological evidence, including fragments of pottery, worked stone tools, and bone material that provide insights into the beliefs and practices of prehistoric communities.
Cairn on the Blorenge is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM219. View the official record →
Cairn on the Blorenge is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference MM219.
Cairn on the Blorenge 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.
Cairn on the Blorenge 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 MM219.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Blaenafon Ironworks (3.3 km), Old Coal Pits, Blaenavon (3.5 km), Aaron Brute's Level and Iron Bridge (3.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cairn on the Blorenge'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.
Cairn on the Blorenge stands on Millstone Grit Group [See Also Migr], bedrock that formed in the Namurian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.