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Dyffryn Stone Circle is a prehistoric stone circle located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference PE120. The monument stands on bedrock composed of Arenig Rocks, a formation of undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone dating to the Arenigian period. This geological foundation of softer, layered rocks would have presented particular challenges to the people who erected the circle, yet they selected this location despite the unstable ground conditions.
Stone circles represent one of the most distinctive monument types of later prehistoric Britain and Ireland, typically constructed during the Bronze Age, though some may have earlier origins. They served ritual, ceremonial or burial functions within their communities. The Dyffryn circle forms part of the wider landscape of Welsh prehistoric monuments, reflecting patterns of monument building across upland and moorland regions during this period.
The monument's survival to the present day, despite the weathering properties of its underlying geology, testifies to the durability of stone construction. The Arenig Rocks bedrock, whilst softer than granite or other igneous stones favoured elsewhere, would have been the available local material for communities building and maintaining ceremonial structures in this part of Wales.
Dyffryn Stone Circle is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference PE120. View the official record →
Dyffryn Stone Circle is a prehistoric stone circle located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference PE120.
Dyffryn Stone Circle dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a stone circle. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Dyffryn Stone Circle 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 PE120.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Walton Mill Rath (5.9 km), Rhyd-Brown Camp (6.2 km), Castell-y-Fran (6.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Dyffryn Stone Circle'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.
Dyffryn Stone Circle stands on Arenig Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Arenigian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.