© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Llannerch cup-marked rock is a prehistoric stone bearing a series of cupmarks, the characteristic shallow circular depressions created by repeated percussion. The monument lies within Wales on bedrock of Ludlow age, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that form part of the Silurian geological sequence. The Ludlow Rocks beneath this site are undifferentiated deposits typical of south Wales's Paleozoic geology.
Cup-marked stones are widely distributed across Britain and Ireland, with examples concentrated particularly in upland regions. They date from the Neolithic through to the Bronze Age, though their precise chronology and purpose remain debated among archaeologists. Some may have served ritual functions, whilst others possibly related to territorial or astronomical observation. The marks at Llannerch were created using stone or bone hammers, leaving individual cups typically between 2 and 10 centimetres in diameter.
The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage monument service, under reference RD234. This official designation recognises its archaeological significance as evidence of prehistoric activity and belief systems within the Welsh landscape. The stone remains an important example of rock art from the early prehistoric period, contributing to our understanding of how ancient communities engaged with and marked their physical environment.
Llannerch cup-marked rock is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD234. View the official record →
Llannerch cup-marked rock is a prehistoric stone bearing a series of cupmarks, the characteristic shallow circular depressions created by repeated percussion. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD234.
Llannerch cup-marked rock dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cup marked stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Llannerch cup-marked rock 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 RD234.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Six Stones Stone Circle (6.9 km), Cefn Wylfre Round Barrows (7.6 km), Cefn Wylfre Stone Circle and Round Barrow (7.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Llannerch cup-marked rock'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.
Llannerch cup-marked rock stands on Ludlow Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ludlow. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.