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Gwaun Ymryson Round Cairn is a prehistoric burial monument in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference BR205. The cairn sits upon bedrock of Pridoli age, composed of undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that formed during the Pridoli period of the Palaeozoic era. This geology provided local stone for the cairn's construction, a common practice in prehistoric burial mound building.
Round cairns represent a widespread funerary tradition across Wales and Britain during the Bronze Age and earlier periods. Such monuments typically contained central burial chambers or cremation deposits, often accompanied by pottery and metalwork that marked the status of the deceased. The landscape setting and local stone sources suggest Gwaun Ymryson served as a territorial marker as well as a burial place for a significant individual or family group.
The monument's survival to the present day, despite millennia of weathering and land use change, reflects both the substantial construction effort invested in its creation and the protective status it has held in modern times. Cadw's scheduling ensures the cairn remains a visible testament to prehistoric ritual practices and social organisation in the Welsh landscape.
Gwaun Ymryson Round Cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR205. View the official record →
Gwaun Ymryson Round Cairn is a prehistoric burial monument in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference BR205.
Gwaun Ymryson Round Cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Gwaun Ymryson 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 BR205.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bailey Bach Round Cairn and Cist (1.8 km), Gaer Fawr (3.3 km), Castell Madoc Ringwork (4.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Gwaun Ymryson 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.
Gwaun Ymryson Round Cairn stands on Pridoli Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Pridoli. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.