© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Giant's Grave round cairn is a prehistoric funerary monument located in Wales, protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference RD218. Round cairns of this type were constructed during the Bronze Age and served as burial places, often for individuals of elevated status within their communities. The monument exemplifies the enduring tradition of cairn building that persisted across the British uplands throughout prehistory.
The cairn is built upon bedrock of Ludlow age rocks, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposits formed during the Silurian period. These sturdy geological foundations provided a stable base for the monument's construction. The underlying geology would have influenced quarrying practices for the stones used in the cairn's construction, with local stone sources likely exploited for building material.
The monument's name, echoing folklore traditions of its creation by giants, reflects popular memory of prehistoric monuments across Wales and Britain. Such cairns frequently contained cremated remains, sometimes accompanied by grave goods, though the specific archaeological details of this site remain subject to professional investigation. The monument's protection under Cadw ensures its preservation for future study and as a landscape feature of historical significance.
Giant's Grave round cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD218. View the official record →
Giant's Grave round cairn is a prehistoric funerary monument located in Wales, protected as a scheduled ancient monument by Cadw under reference RD218.
Giant's Grave round cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a round cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Giant's Grave round 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 RD218.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llanbedr Hill Cist Cairn (5.9 km), Lettypeod Deserted Rural Settlement (6.1 km), Llanbedr Hill Platform House (6.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Giant's Grave round 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.
Giant's Grave round cairn stands on Ludlow Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ludlow. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.