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Round Barrow on the Werfa is a prehistoric burial mound situated in Wales on bedrock belonging to the South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation. The underlying geology comprises mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal and ironstone deposits laid down during the Westphalian period, with ferricrete present across the site. This coal-bearing landscape would have been very different in prehistoric times, when the barrow was constructed as a monument to the dead.
The round barrow represents a funerary practice widespread across Britain during the Bronze Age, typically serving as a burial place for individuals of status. Such monuments were often raised as conspicuous landmarks within the contemporary landscape, marking the locations of the deceased and reinforcing territorial claims. The mound's form and construction reflect the resources and labour available to the communities that built it.
The site is protected by Cadw, the historic monuments agency of Wales, under reference GM499. This designation recognises its archaeological importance as evidence of prehistoric settlement patterns and burial practices in the region. The barrow survives as a physical record of Bronze Age society and continues to inform understanding of ritual, death and social organisation in prehistoric Wales.
Round Barrow on the Werfa is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM499. View the official record →
Round Barrow on the Werfa is a prehistoric burial mound situated in Wales on bedrock belonging to the South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM499.
Round Barrow on the Werfa dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a round barrow. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Round Barrow on the Werfa 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 GM499.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Cairn Lwyd (4.1 km), Croes y Bwlchgwyn Round Cairn (4.2 km), Garth Hill Platform House (5.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Round Barrow on the Werfa'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.
Round Barrow on the Werfa 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.