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Moel yr Henfaes ring cairn is a prehistoric burial monument situated in Wales, constructed upon bedrock composed of Ashgill rocks—mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Ashgill period. Ring cairns are ceremonial or funerary structures typically comprising a circular bank of stones surrounding an open or enclosed central area, dating from the Bronze Age or Neolithic period. The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, under the reference DE299, reflecting its significance to Wales's archaeological heritage.
The underlying geology of Ashgill rocks, weathered sedimentary materials, would have provided both stone for construction and a firm foundation for the cairn's structure. The upland or moorland setting suggested by the Welsh place name Moel—meaning bare hill—is typical for such monuments, which were often built on prominent locations visible across the landscape. Ring cairns served important functions within prehistoric communities, marking significant burial or ceremonial sites that remained visually prominent within the settlement patterns of their time.
Moel yr Henfaes ring cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference DE299. View the official record →
Moel yr Henfaes ring cairn is a prehistoric burial monument situated in Wales, constructed upon bedrock composed of Ashgill rocks—mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down in the Ashgill period. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference DE299.
Moel yr Henfaes ring cairn dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a ring cairn. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Moel yr Henfaes ring 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 DE299.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cefn Penagored Ridge Cairns (6.1 km), Cefn Penagored Cairn and Ring Cairn (6.2 km), Pennant Cairns (6.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Moel yr Henfaes ring 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 yr Henfaes ring cairn stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.