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Llwyn-y-wrach is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference RD243. The monument comprises a single upright stone of the type commonly erected during the Bronze Age across Britain and Ireland, when such stones served functions ranging from territorial markers to burial monuments or ritual focal points. Its name, meaning 'the witch's grove' in Welsh, reflects the local significance and folklore that has long surrounded the site.
The stone stands upon bedrock composed of Ludlow Rocks, a geological formation of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone dating to the Ludlow period of the Silurian. This relatively soft substrate, typical of mid-Wales geology, would have presented specific practical challenges to the monument's original builders in terms of foundation stability and the effort required to erect the stone.
As an upright monolith in the Welsh landscape, Llwyn-y-wrach represents an enduring element of the prehistoric cultural record. Such stones often mark ancient routeways, territorial boundaries or sites of ritual gathering. The survival of the monument to the present day, despite the weathering effects of its Silurian bedrock foundation and centuries of exposure to the Welsh climate, reflects both its substantial construction and its continuing cultural significance to the communities of the region.
Llwyn-y-wrach standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD243. View the official record →
Llwyn-y-wrach is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference RD243.
Llwyn-y-wrach standing stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Llwyn-y-wrach standing stone 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 RD243.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Gwenddwr Deserted Village (6 km), Crickadarn Camp (7.2 km), Castle Earthwork 200m S of Coed Caeau (8.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Llwyn-y-wrach standing stone'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.
Llwyn-y-wrach standing stone stands on Ludlow Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ludlow. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.