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Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn is a prehistoric kerb cairn situated in Wales on bedrock of Wenlock sandstone and conglomerate. The monument consists of stone heaped over a central burial chamber or cist, with a defined kerb of stones marking its perimeter. Built upon the undifferentiated Wenlock rocks that form much of the local geology, the cairn would have been constructed from stone readily available from the surrounding landscape.
Kerb cairns of this type date to the Bronze Age and served as burial monuments for individuals of status within prehistoric communities. The cist—a stone-lined chamber—would have contained the remains of the deceased, protected by the mound of stone accumulating above. The deliberate arrangement of boundary stones distinguishes kerb cairns from simpler heap cairns, indicating careful planning and considerable labour.
The monument is now protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage conservation body, under reference DE275. Such cairns remain important archaeological sites, offering evidence of prehistoric funeral practices, social organisation and land use in Wales. The survival of Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn contributes significantly to understanding Bronze Age settlement and burial patterns across the Welsh landscape.
Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE275. View the official record →
Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn is a prehistoric kerb cairn situated in Wales on bedrock of Wenlock sandstone and conglomerate. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference DE275.
Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a kerb cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn 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 DE275.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Nant y Foel long hut (0.7 km), Hafod-y-Dre Stone Rows and Cairn (1.5 km), Cefn-y-Gadfa Stone Rows and Cists (1.7 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn'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.
Moel Rhiwlug Cist Cairn stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.