Scheduled MonumentsWalesMeini Gwyr
Prehistoric · Henge

Meini Gwyr

Carmarthenshire, Wales
Cadw SAM CM051
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Henge
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Meini Gwyr is a prehistoric henge monument located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference CM051. The site lies upon bedrock formed from the Whiterock stage of the Ordovician period, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone of the Llanvirn Rocks formation. This solid geology provided the foundation for the monument's construction and continues to underlie the landscape today.

Henges are ritual monuments typically comprising one or more circular earthwork banks and ditches, usually with internal timber or stone settings. Built during the Neolithic and Bronze Age, they served ceremonial and possibly astronomical functions. Meini Gwyr represents an important example of this monument class within the Welsh prehistoric heritage, reflecting the sophisticated understanding of landscape and ceremonial practice among early farming communities.

The protection and recording of Meini Gwyr by Cadw ensures the preservation of this archaeological resource for future study and public access. The monument contributes to our understanding of prehistoric settlement patterns, ritual practices and the relationship between early Welsh communities and their natural environment during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods.

Meini Gwyr is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM051. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Meini Gwyr?

Meini Gwyr is a prehistoric henge monument located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument under reference CM051.

What period does Meini Gwyr date from?

Meini Gwyr dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a henge. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Meini Gwyr?

Meini Gwyr 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 CM051.

What other scheduled monuments are near Meini Gwyr?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Crugiau Round Barrows (6.3 km), Inscribed Stone N of Parciau Farmhouse (7.6 km), Gelli Diogyn Hillfort (7.6 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Meini Gwyr

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Meini Gwyr's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Meini Gwyr report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Meini Gwyr

Meini Gwyr stands on Llanvirn Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Whiterock. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.