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Cistfaen cairns is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference RD209. The monument consists of an earthen mound built from accumulated stone, a common funerary and ceremonial structure of Neolithic and Bronze Age communities across Britain and Ireland. Round cairns of this type typically mark burial places and may have served multiple ritual purposes throughout their use-life, often remaining visible landscape features for centuries after their construction.
The cairn sits upon bedrock of Llandovery Rocks, comprising interbedded sandstone and conglomerate typical of the Llandovery period. This local geology would have shaped both the construction method and the character of the monument; the mixed stone deposits nearby provided suitable material for cairn building, while the underlying bedrock influenced drainage and the monument's preservation. The choice of this location reflects the builder's practical knowledge of the landscape.
As a scheduled ancient monument, Cistfaen cairns remains a significant record of prehistoric funerary practice in Wales. The site's longevity as a recognisable feature in the landscape underscores its importance to successive communities. Archaeological work in the surrounding area continues to enhance understanding of Bronze Age settlement and ritual behaviour in this region of Wales.
Cistfaen cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD209. View the official record →
Cistfaen cairns is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference RD209.
Cistfaen cairns 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.
Cistfaen 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 RD209.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cistfaen barrows (0.2 km), Maen Hir cairn cemetery (1.2 km), Carn y Groes cairn (1.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cistfaen cairns'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.
Cistfaen cairns stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.