© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Maen Llwyd is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference BR312. The monument rises from bedrock of Lower Devonian age, comprising interbedded sandstone and conglomerate deposited during the Early Devonian period. These resistant rocks form part of the stable geological foundation underlying much of mid and west Wales.
Standing stones such as Maen Llwyd were erected during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods as territorial markers, ceremonial monuments or burial memorials. Their prominence in the upland and moorland landscapes of Wales reflects their visibility and symbolic importance to prehistoric communities. The choice of site on Lower Devonian bedrock is typical of such monuments, which often occupy higher ground where the stone would have been visible across considerable distances.
Today Maen Llwyd remains an important record of prehistoric monumentality and landscape use. Its protection by Cadw recognises its archaeological significance as evidence of early Welsh settlement patterns and ritual practice. The monument's survival in its original location preserves the relationship between the stone and its surrounding terrain, maintaining the visual and spiritual dimensions intended by its Bronze Age or Neolithic builders.
Maen Llwyd standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR312. View the official record →
Maen Llwyd is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference BR312.
Maen Llwyd 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.
Maen Llwyd 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 BR312.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Maes-Celyn Castle Mound (8.4 km), Gwernvale chambered cairn (8.5 km), Penmyarth Standing Stone (8.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Maen Llwyd 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.
Maen Llwyd standing stone stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.