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Pen Gloch-y-pibwr is a prehistoric round cairn situated on the western side of its namesake hill in Wales. The monument consists of a mound of stones constructed over bedrock composed of Upper Devonian sandstone and conglomerate, deposited during the Late Devonian period. This geological foundation of interbedded sedimentary rock would have been exposed or near-surface when the cairn was built, making it a natural choice for a burial or ceremonial site in the prehistoric landscape.
Round cairns of this type typically date to the Bronze Age, though some may have earlier origins. They served primarily as burial monuments, often containing cremated remains or inhumations in central cists or pits. The construction of such cairns represented significant communal effort and indicates the social importance of the individuals or families commemorated within them.
The site is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage monuments service, under reference BR306, recognising its archaeological significance. The monument survives today as a tangible link to prehistoric funerary practices and settlement patterns in Wales, contributing to our understanding of Bronze Age communities and their relationship with the Welsh landscape.
Pen Gloch-y-pibwr, cairn on W side of is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR306. View the official record →
Pen Gloch-y-pibwr is a prehistoric round cairn situated on the western side of its namesake hill in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR306.
Pen Gloch-y-pibwr, cairn on W side of 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.
Pen Gloch-y-pibwr, cairn on W side of 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 BR306.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Coed Pentwyn Hillfort (7.7 km), Llangattock Tramroad Inclines (7.7 km), Mynydd Llangattock round cairn (8.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Pen Gloch-y-pibwr, cairn on W side of'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.
Pen Gloch-y-pibwr, cairn on W side of stands on Upper Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Late Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.