Scheduled MonumentsWalesMynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn
Prehistoric · Round Cairn

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn

Breconshire, Wales
Cadw SAM BR142
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Round Cairn
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference BR142. The monument stands on bedrock composed of Pridoli rocks—undifferentiated mudstone, siltstone and sandstone formed during the Pridoli epoch. Round cairns of this type typically functioned as burial monuments during the Bronze Age, constructed by stacking stone to create a prominent mound that served both as a tomb and a territorial marker across the landscape.

The underlying geology of Pridoli rocks would have provided a ready source of suitable stone for cairn construction, though such monuments were often built from readily available surface materials. The monument's survival on upland terrain reflects the typically marginal nature of Bronze Age settlement and burial practices in exposed Welsh landscapes. Its protected status recognises the archaeological importance of understanding prehistoric funerary practices and settlement patterns in this region.

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR142. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn?

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference BR142.

What period does Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn date from?

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn 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.

Who is responsible for protecting Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn?

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round 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 BR142.

What other scheduled monuments are near Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Troed Rhiw Wen Prehistoric Standing Stone (5.3 km), Garn Las ring cairn (6 km), Garn Las platform cairn (6.2 km).

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn'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 Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn report
Or see a real report first
The ground beneath

The bedrock under Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn

Mynydd Bach-Trecastell Round Cairn stands on Pridoli Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Pridoli. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.