© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Mynydd Llansadwrn ring cairn is a prehistoric monument situated on Welsh upland, built upon bedrock of Ashgill rocks comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. The ring cairn form—a circular or near-circular arrangement of stones with an open or partially enclosed interior—belongs to a tradition of monumental construction spanning the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. Such monuments are found across Wales and northern Britain, typically occupying prominent positions in the landscape where they remain visible across considerable distances.
The monument's location on Mynydd Llansadwrn places it within terrain characteristic of upland Wales, where these structures frequently mark ritual or burial sites. The underlying geology of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone would have supplied readily available stone for construction, though the builders may have selected particular stones for their appearance or properties. The exposed upland setting suggests the monument served functions relating to community gatherings, ceremonial practices or commemoration of the deceased.
The ring cairn is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, under reference CM362. This designation recognises its archaeological and historical significance as evidence of prehistoric settlement, social organisation and belief systems in Wales. The monument survives as a material record of early Welsh societies whose monumental practices shaped the upland landscape over four millennia ago.
Mynydd Llansadwrn ring cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CM362. View the official record →
Mynydd Llansadwrn ring cairn is a prehistoric monument situated on Welsh upland, built upon bedrock of Ashgill rocks comprising mudstone, siltstone and sandstone. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CM362.
Mynydd Llansadwrn 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.
Mynydd Llansadwrn 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 CM362.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Roman Fortlet 300m SW of Gallt yr Adar Fawr (2.8 km), Fan Camp (3.4 km), Nant Cilgwyn standing stone (3.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Mynydd Llansadwrn 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.
Mynydd Llansadwrn ring cairn stands on Ashgill Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Ashgill. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.