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Moel yr Henfaes cairn cemetery is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference DE301. The site rests on bedrock of Ashgill age, comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formations that underlie much of the local landscape. These fine-grained sedimentary rocks, laid down in shallow marine environments during the late Ordovician period, would have presented both opportunities and challenges to the monument's builders—the stone available for cairn construction, though workable, differs markedly from harder igneous materials found elsewhere in Wales.
Round cairns of this type typically date to the Bronze Age, serving as burial monuments for prominent individuals or family groups. The cemetery designation suggests this site encompasses multiple burials or successive phases of use across generations, reflecting its importance as a burial ground within its prehistoric community.
Today, the cairn survives as a testament to prehistoric funeral practices and the enduring significance certain locations held for Bronze Age societies. Its preservation enables study of burial customs, territorial patterns and the relationship between communities and their geological landscape.
Moel yr Henfaes cairn cemetery is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE301. View the official record →
Moel yr Henfaes cairn cemetery is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference DE301.
Moel yr Henfaes cairn cemetery dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a round cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Moel yr Henfaes cairn cemetery 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 DE301.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cadair Berwyn, round cairn on N ridge of (5.7 km), Cefn Penagored Ridge Cairns (6.3 km), Cefn Penagored Cairn and Ring Cairn (6.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Moel yr Henfaes cairn cemetery'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 yr Henfaes cairn cemetery stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.