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Cwm Bwchel round cairn is a prehistoric burial monument situated in Wales, where it remains protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference MM343. The cairn stands upon bedrock of Lower Devonian sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded strata that date to the Early Devonian period and form part of the underlying geological foundation of the Welsh landscape.
Round cairns of this type were constructed across Britain and Ireland during the Bronze Age, typically serving as burial monuments for significant members of prehistoric communities. Built from stone gathered locally and heaped into a circular mound, such cairns often contained cist burials or cremations, sometimes accompanied by grave goods reflecting the status and beliefs of the period.
The monument's survival within the Welsh upland landscape testifies to its enduring archaeological value. The solid Devonian bedrock beneath the site would have provided a stable foundation, whilst the locality's stone-rich environment supplied ample material for the cairn's construction. Today Cwm Bwchel remains an important record of prehistoric settlement patterns and funerary practice in Wales.
Cwm Bwchel round cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM343. View the official record →
Cwm Bwchel round cairn is a prehistoric burial monument situated in Wales, where it remains protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference MM343.
Cwm Bwchel 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.
Cwm Bwchel 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 MM343.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cwm Beusych Deserted Rural Settlement (6 km), Pen y Clawdd Castle Mound (7.9 km), Crug Hywel Camp (8.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cwm Bwchel 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.
Cwm Bwchel round cairn stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.