© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Rhondda Fach Cairn is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference GM541. The cairn sits upon bedrock of the South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, a geological sequence deposited during the Westphalian period. This underlying strata comprises mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal seams, ironstone and ferricrete, typical of the coal-bearing rocks that characterise the South Wales valleys. The cairn's position on this foundation reflects the monument's antiquity, predating the industrial exploitation of these mineral-rich deposits by thousands of years.
Round cairns are a characteristic funerary monument type of the Bronze Age in Wales and the broader upland zones of Britain. Constructed from stone gathered from the surrounding landscape, they served as burial places for individuals of status within prehistoric communities. The Rhondda Fach example stands as evidence of settlement and ritual activity in the valley during this distant period.
The monument's survival to the present day, despite the dramatic transformation of the South Wales landscape through coal extraction and industrialisation, underscores its archaeological significance. Its scheduled status ensures protection for this rare surviving remnant of the region's prehistoric past.
Rhondda Fach Cairn is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM541. View the official record →
Rhondda Fach Cairn is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales, protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference GM541.
Rhondda Fach 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.
Rhondda Fach 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 GM541.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Mynydd Maendy Hillfort (6.9 km), Earthwork 360m NNE of Crug yr Avan (6.9 km), Crug yr Afan Round Cairn (7.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Rhondda Fach 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.
Rhondda Fach Cairn stands on South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.