© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Cefn Coch Tumulus is a prehistoric round barrow located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference DE265. The monument sits on bedrock of Permian age, where sandstone and conglomerate layers are interbedded, creating a foundation of hard, ancient stone formed during the arid deserts of the Permian period some 300 million years ago. This geological setting would have presented Bronze Age communities with accessible stone suitable for construction, though the barrow's earthen mound structure would have been the primary monument visible across the landscape.
Round barrows of this type were constructed across Britain during the Bronze Age, typically as burial mounds for individuals of importance. The tumulus would originally have risen as a prominent landmark, marking a grave or graves and serving as a focal point for ritual and commemoration. The Permian bedrock beneath Cefn Coch, weathered into an irregular surface, provided a stable base upon which the mound was constructed.
Today, the monument survives as a testament to Bronze Age burial practices in Wales, preserved under statutory protection. Its location on Permian geology connects it to the deep geological history of Britain, anchoring the relatively recent human past within the ancient structure of the landscape.
Cefn Coch Tumulus is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE265. View the official record →
Cefn Coch Tumulus is a prehistoric round barrow located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference DE265.
Cefn Coch Tumulus dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a round barrow. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cefn Coch Tumulus 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 DE265.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Coed Henblas Moated Site (1.8 km), Craig Adwywynt Camp (3.2 km), Pen-y-Gaer Camp (4.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cefn Coch Tumulus'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.
Cefn Coch Tumulus stands on Permian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Permian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.