© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Derwen Cross is a medieval stone cross located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference DE162. The monument stands upon bedrock of Wenlock age, a foundation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that has weathered over geological time to create the soils characteristic of this region. Medieval crosses such as this served multiple functions within Welsh communities, standing as markers of religious devotion, territorial boundaries or meeting places within the landscape.
The cross belongs to a widespread tradition of stone monument erection across medieval Wales, when communities invested in permanent markers of spiritual and social significance. The underlying Wenlock strata, formed during the Silurian period some 425 million years ago, provided the stone resources utilised in cross construction throughout this part of Wales. Such monuments were often positioned at prominent locations within the settlement or landscape, making them visible and accessible to local populations.
Today, Derwen Cross remains an important record of medieval Welsh material culture and settlement patterns. Its survival reflects both the durability of stone construction and the recognised historical value of such monuments. The site's geological setting, rooted in ancient Wenlock deposits, connects the cross to the deep geological history of the Welsh landscape it has occupied for over five centuries.
Derwen Cross is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE162. View the official record →
Derwen Cross is a medieval stone cross located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference DE162.
Derwen Cross dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a cross. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Derwen Cross 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 DE162.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Moel Fodig Camp (5.7 km), Caer Drewen Camp (6.6 km), Capel y Rug (6.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Derwen Cross'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.
Derwen Cross stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.