Scheduled MonumentsWalesGilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of
Prehistoric · Round Cairn

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of

Breconshire, Wales
Cadw SAM BR403
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Round Cairn
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
The designation
Reference
Cadw SAM BR403
Authority
Cadw
Designated
2009-01-06
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of is a prehistoric burial monument constructed during the Neolithic or Bronze Age. The cairn is built upon Lower Devonian bedrock comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed in the Early Devonian period. The underlying geology has weathered to create the local stone resources utilised in the monument's construction. The site is situated within the Welsh landscape where such round cairns are characteristic of prehistoric funerary practices.

The round cairn's form indicates its primary function as a burial structure, likely serving a community over an extended period. The mound of stones would originally have been more substantial, with a central burial chamber or cist containing human remains and grave goods. The site's survival reflects the durable nature of stone construction and the relatively stable archaeological context of upland terrain.

The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference BR403. This designation recognises its archaeological significance as evidence of prehistoric settlement, social organisation and burial custom in Wales. The cairn contributes to understanding the pattern of Bronze Age and Neolithic land use across the Welsh uplands, where such monuments are particularly concentrated.

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR403. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of?

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of is a prehistoric burial monument constructed during the Neolithic or Bronze Age. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR403.

What period does Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of date from?

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of 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.

Who is responsible for protecting Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of?

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of 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 BR403.

What other scheduled monuments are near Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Trecastle Mound and Bailey Castle (1.5 km), Castell-Du, Sennybridge (3 km), Early Christian Inscribed Stone in Defynnog Church (3.7 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of

Gilfach, Round Cairn 500m WSW of stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.