© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Nant Gwynllyn Standing Stone is a prehistoric monument consisting of a single upright stone slab. The stone rises prominently from the Llandovery rocks that underlie this part of Wales, geological formations of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone that date to the Llandovery period. Standing stones of this type are characteristic monuments of prehistoric Britain and Ireland, typically erected during the Neolithic or Bronze Age periods.
The monument's position within the local bedrock geology may have held significance for those who raised it, as communities often selected conspicuous natural features or stone exposures as focal points for ritual or territorial markers. The Llandovery formation would have provided suitable stone for quarrying and working, though this particular stone was selected and placed to endure across millennia. Its isolation as a single standing stone distinguishes it from the more elaborate stone circles and alignments found elsewhere in Wales.
The standing stone is now protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage monuments authority, under the reference RD196, reflecting its importance as a record of prehistoric settlement and ceremonial practice in the Welsh landscape. Standing stones remain enigmatic monuments; whilst their construction demonstrates considerable effort and communal organisation, their precise functions—whether monumental, commemorative or territorial—continue to be subjects of archaeological investigation and interpretation.
Nant Gwynllyn Standing stone is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference RD196. View the official record →
Nant Gwynllyn Standing Stone is a prehistoric monument consisting of a single upright stone slab. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference RD196.
Nant Gwynllyn Standing stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Nant Gwynllyn Standing stone 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 RD196.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cairns and Standing Stones on Carnau Cefn-y-Ffordd (9.5 km), Saith-Maen Standing Stones (9.6 km), Hafotau Settlement on Bryn Melys (9.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Nant Gwynllyn Standing stone'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.
Nant Gwynllyn Standing stone stands on Llandovery Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Llandovery. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.