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Rectangular Platform is a prehistoric ritual platform located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference BR262. The monument sits upon Lower Devonian bedrock of sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded deposits laid down during the Early Devonian period. This underlying geology has shaped the site's character, with the ancient builders selecting a location where the harder strata would have provided a stable, naturally drained foundation.
The platform's rectangular form suggests a carefully planned structure, typical of ritual monuments from prehistoric Wales where such enclosed spaces served ceremonial or gathering purposes. Its scale and orientation would have been determined by the builders' practical knowledge of their landscape and the demands of whatever ritual activities took place within its bounds.
Today the site remains a significant record of prehistoric construction and spatial organisation. The preservation of its earthwork form allows visitors to appreciate the way prehistoric communities shaped their ritual landscape, using natural topography and geology to anchor their ceremonial activities to the surrounding terrain.
Rectangular Platform is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR262. View the official record →
Rectangular Platform is a prehistoric ritual platform located in Wales and protected by Cadw under reference BR262.
Rectangular Platform dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a ritual platform. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Rectangular Platform 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 BR262.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Carn yr Arian Cairn (6.7 km), Cader Fawr Round Cairn (8.6 km), Nant-Maden Round Cairn (9.6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Rectangular Platform'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.
Rectangular Platform stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.