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Garn Pontsticill ring cairn is a prehistoric monument situated in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference GM569. The site lies upon Lower Devonian bedrock comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, deposits laid down during the Early Devonian period when this region lay beneath shallow seas. These sedimentary rocks form a solid foundation for the cairn, with their weathered surfaces visible across the surrounding landscape.
Ring cairns are ritual and funerary monuments typically constructed during the Bronze Age, consisting of a roughly circular bank of stones with a hollow or flat central area. At Garn Pontsticill, this distinctive form survives to present the characteristic arrangement of stone accumulated around a central space, evidence of deliberate construction by its prehistoric builders. The monument's preservation within the Welsh landscape provides important archaeological evidence for understanding Bronze Age burial practices and territorial use of upland regions.
The site contributes to the broader pattern of Bronze Age monuments distributed across Welsh uplands, where communities exploited the higher ground for pastoral activity and ritual purposes. Its protected status ensures that Garn Pontsticill remains available for future study and public understanding of prehistoric Wales, whilst the local geology continues to shape the physical character and visibility of this ancient structure within its moorland setting.
Garn Pontsticill ring cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM569. View the official record →
Garn Pontsticill ring cairn is a prehistoric monument situated in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference GM569.
Garn Pontsticill ring cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a ring cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Garn Pontsticill ring 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 GM569.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Graig-y-Gilfach round cairn and earthwork (8.7 km), Carn Castell y Meibion ring cairn (8.8 km), Merthyr Common Round Cairns (8.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Garn Pontsticill ring 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.
Garn Pontsticill ring cairn stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.