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Derlwyn round barrow cemetery is a prehistoric funerary monument located in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference CM312. Round barrow cemeteries of this type typically date to the Bronze Age, when communal burial grounds marked prominent positions in the landscape and served as territorial or dynastic focal points. The barrows would have been constructed by heaping stone and earth over cremated or inhumed remains, creating distinctive mounds that remained visible landmarks for centuries.
The monument sits on bedrock comprising Llandovery Rocks, an undifferentiated sequence of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone dating to the Llandovery period of the Ordovician. These sedimentary rocks, formed in ancient marine environments, would have weathered to provide suitable stone and earth for barrow construction whilst also offering a naturally stable foundation. The local geology thus shaped both the practical feasibility and the visual prominence of the cemetery within its surrounding terrain.
The clustering of barrows at Derlwyn reflects Bronze Age burial practices whereby successive generations were interred at established mortuary sites, accumulating multiple mounds over time. Such cemeteries anchored communities to their territories and served important social and ritual functions, marking the land as inhabited and claimed. Today the site remains a testament to prehistoric settlement patterns and the enduring significance of burial landscapes in early British communities.
Derlwyn round barrow cemetery is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM312. View the official record →
Derlwyn round barrow cemetery is a prehistoric funerary monument located in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference CM312.
Derlwyn round barrow cemetery dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a round barrow. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Derlwyn round barrow cemetery 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 CM312.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Crugiau Edryd Round Barrows (1.9 km), Ring Cairn 50m North of Crug y Biswal (2.1 km), Crug y Biswal Round Barrow (2.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Derlwyn round barrow cemetery'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.
Derlwyn round barrow cemetery stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.