© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Crugiau Merched Cairns is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CM302. The site sits upon bedrock of Llandovery rocks, which comprise interbedded sandstone and conglomerate deposited during the Llandovery period. This geological foundation would have been exposed or thinly covered when the cairn was constructed, providing local stone for its building.
Round cairns of this type typically date to the Bronze Age, serving as burial monuments for prominent individuals or family groups. The form—a mound of stacked stones—was a practical and enduring funerary tradition across prehistoric Wales and Britain. At Crugiau Merched, the choice of this hilltop location would have made the cairn visible across considerable distances in the surrounding landscape, marking the place of the dead within the community's territory.
Today the monument remains visible in the Welsh countryside as evidence of Bronze Age burial practices and settlement patterns. Its preservation under Cadw protection ensures that this ancient landmark continues to inform our understanding of prehistoric Welsh society and the relationship between communities and their local geology.
Crugiau Merched Cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM302. View the official record →
Crugiau Merched Cairns is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference CM302.
Crugiau Merched 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.
Crugiau Merched 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 CM302.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Roman Water Tank E of Brunant Farm (6.2 km), Nantiwrch round barrow (6.2 km), Annell Aqueduct (lower section) (6.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Crugiau Merched 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.
Crugiau Merched Cairns stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.