Scheduled MonumentsWalesRhossili Down Round Cairns
Prehistoric · Round Cairn

Rhossili Down Round Cairns

Wales
Cadw SAM GM194
Period
Prehistoric
Site type
Round Cairn
Broad class
Religious, Ritual and Funerary
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

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Overview

History & significance

Rhossili Down Round Cairns is a Bronze Age funerary monument located on the Gower Peninsula in Swansea, Wales. The site comprises one or more round cairns, characteristic burial structures of the Bronze Age period, constructed from stone rubble and earth to cover cremated or inhumed remains of the deceased. Such cairns served both as permanent memorials to the dead and as focal points for ritual activity, reflecting the spiritual beliefs and burial practices of Bronze Age communities in Wales. The monument's position on the elevated terrain of Rhossili Down would have made it a prominent landscape feature, visible across the surrounding countryside and likely serving as a marker of territorial and social significance for local populations.

Rhossili Down Round Cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM194. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Rhossili Down Round Cairns?

Rhossili Down Round Cairns is a Bronze Age funerary monument located on the Gower Peninsula in Swansea, Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM194.

What period does Rhossili Down Round Cairns date from?

Rhossili Down Round Cairns 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.

Who is responsible for protecting Rhossili Down Round Cairns?

Rhossili Down Round Cairns 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 GM194.

What other scheduled monuments are near Rhossili Down Round Cairns?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Old Castle Camp (1.3 km), Lewes Castle Promontory Fort (1.6 km), Thurba Camp (1.7 km).

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