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Carreg Wen is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference MG252. The monument stands upon bedrock of Ashgill age, comprising undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formations that underlie much of the surrounding landscape. These sedimentary rocks, laid down in the late Ordovician period, would have been exposed and weathered for millennia before the stone was raised, their variable composition creating the uneven terrain characteristic of this geology.
Standing stones of this type typically date to the Neolithic or Bronze Age, serving purposes that may have included territorial markers, burial monuments or ritual focal points within the prehistoric landscape. The specific choice of this location, with its solid Ashgill bedrock foundation, would have provided a stable base for erecting and maintaining the stone through successive generations.
The monument remains a significant element of Wales's prehistoric heritage, its survival testament to both the durability of its construction and the protective measures now in place. The local geology continues to shape the character of the site, with the underlying mudstone and siltstone formations influencing soil conditions and vegetation around the stone.
Carreg Wen Prehistoric Standing Stone is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MG252. View the official record →
Carreg Wen is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference MG252.
Carreg Wen Prehistoric Standing Stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Carreg Wen Prehistoric Standing Stone 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 MG252.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cairn on Pen Lluest-y-Carn (3.4 km), Central Cairn on Pen Plynlimon-Fawr (4.3 km), Southernmost Cairn on Pen Plynlimon-Fawr (4.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Carreg Wen Prehistoric Standing Stone'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.
Carreg Wen Prehistoric Standing Stone stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.