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Craig y Bwlch round cairn is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM564. The monument sits upon bedrock belonging to the South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, a geological sequence deposited during the Westphalian period. This underlying geology comprises mudstone, siltstone, and sandstone interspersed with coal seams, ironstone and ferricrete, reflecting the ancient deltaic and fluvial environments in which these rocks were laid down.
Round cairns of this type represent one of the most enduring monument forms in prehistoric Britain and Ireland, typically constructed during the Bronze Age as burial and ceremonial structures. The stones used in Craig y Bwlch's construction would have been gathered from the local landscape, shaped by the weathering of these Coal Measures deposits and glacial processes. The location on this upland terrain would have commanded significant views across the surrounding landscape.
The cairn's preservation and formal protection demonstrate its archaeological importance as a record of prehistoric settlement patterns and ritual practices in the Welsh landscape. Such monuments frequently yielded cremated remains and grave goods, though the specific contents and construction details of Craig y Bwlch reflect the particular traditions of its community and period.
Craig y Bwlch round cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM564. View the official record →
Craig y Bwlch round cairn is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference GM564.
Craig y Bwlch round cairn 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.
Craig y Bwlch round cairn 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 GM564.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Tarren Maerdy cairn (E) (7.5 km), Earthwork 360m NNE of Crug yr Avan (8 km), Mynydd Maendy Hillfort (8.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Craig y Bwlch round cairn'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.
Craig y Bwlch round cairn stands on South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.