Scheduled MonumentsWalesCefn Merthyr Round Cairns
Prehistoric · Cairnfield

Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns

Wales
Cadw SAM GM272
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Cairnfield
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns is a prehistoric cairnfield located in Wales, comprising a cluster of burial mounds dating to the Bronze Age. The site consists of multiple round cairns constructed from stone, representing a significant funerary and ritual landscape that reflects Bronze Age mortuary practices and settlement patterns in the region. The cairns were built to contain and commemorate the dead, and their clustering suggests the site held religious and ceremonial importance for the communities who constructed and used them over an extended period. The monument is recorded under Cadw's Scheduled Ancient Monument designation GM272, recognising its archaeological and historical value as evidence of prehistoric religious and funerary activity in Wales.

Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM272. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns?

Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns is a prehistoric cairnfield located in Wales, comprising a cluster of burial mounds dating to the Bronze Age. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM272.

What period does Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns date from?

Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cairnfield. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across Britain.

Who is responsible for protecting Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns?

Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns 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 GM272.

What other scheduled monuments are near Cefn Merthyr Round Cairns?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Prehistoric Rock Art on Mynydd Eglwysilan Common (8.3 km), Carneddi Llwydion (8.4 km), Cairnfield on Mynydd Eglwysilan (8.4 km).

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