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Fan Frynych kerb cairn is a prehistoric cairn set on bedrock of Lower Devonian sandstone and conglomerate in Wales. Kerb cairns of this type, typically constructed during the Bronze Age, consist of a central burial mound or ceremonial deposit enclosed within a ring of substantial stones. The underlying geology of interbedded sandstone and conglomerate would have provided accessible stone for the monument's construction, with weathered blocks readily gathered from the surrounding landscape.
The cairn's form reflects the burial practices and monumental traditions of prehistoric communities in upland Wales. The kerbing technique—arranging large stones in a defined perimeter—served both practical and symbolic purposes, marking the boundary of the sacred space and helping to contain the cairn material. Such structures typically held cremated or inhumed remains, though the specific contents of this example remain undocumented.
Fan Frynych kerb cairn is protected by Cadw, the Welsh government's heritage protection agency, under reference BR329. This statutory protection recognises its significance as a surviving example of Bronze Age monumental architecture in the Welsh landscape, preserving evidence of prehistoric ritual, burial custom and land use patterns in this upland region.
Fan Frynych kerb cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR329. View the official record →
Fan Frynych kerb cairn is a prehistoric cairn set on bedrock of Lower Devonian sandstone and conglomerate in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR329.
Fan Frynych kerb cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a kerb cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Fan Frynych kerb 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 BR329.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Glog Las round cairn (8.8 km), Cefn Esgair-carnau Burnt Mound (9 km), Castell Coch (9.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Fan Frynych kerb 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.
Fan Frynych kerb cairn stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.