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Maen Pica is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument. The stone rises from bedrock of Llanvirn age, composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone deposited during the Whiterock period, giving the surrounding landscape its characteristic grey-brown geology typical of mid-Wales.
The monument belongs to a widespread tradition of stone erection that flourished across Britain and Ireland during the Bronze Age and possibly earlier periods. Such standing stones, known as menhirs, served diverse purposes within prehistoric societies, from territorial markers and ritual foci to burial monuments and meeting places. Their individual significance often remains elusive, yet their persistence in the landscape testifies to their importance to the communities who raised them.
Maen Pica survives as a tangible record of prehistoric activity in Wales, representing centuries of cultural continuity and landscape use. The stone's position on Llanvirn bedrock connects it physically to the deep geological history of the region, anchoring it within both human prehistory and the longer timescale of earth formation.
Maen Pica is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM158. View the official record →
Maen Pica is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales, protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument.
Maen Pica 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 Pica 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 CM158.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Vaynor Gaer (9 km), Pengawse Ring Cairn (9 km), Redstone Cross Round Barrows (9.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Maen Pica'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 Pica stands on Llanvirn Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Whiterock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.