© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Sampson Cross Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference PE345. Standing stones of this type were erected during the Neolithic or Bronze Age periods and typically served ritual, territorial or commemorative functions within their communities. The monument's survival over millennia reflects both its construction with durable stone and the significance it held for successive generations of inhabitants.
The stone stands upon bedrock comprising Dinantian rocks of Mississippian age, which consist predominantly of limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous deposits. This solid geological foundation, formed during the Carboniferous period when Wales lay beneath warm tropical seas, provided both a stable base for the standing stone and a readily available source of stone for its builders. The local limestone geology would have influenced quarrying practices and the selection of suitable materials for monument construction.
The monument's preservation within the Welsh landscape connects it to a broader tradition of megalithic sites found across Britain and northwestern Europe. Such standing stones functioned as permanent landmarks in the prehistoric environment, marking places of gathering, ritual significance or ancestral memory. Cadw's protection of Sampson Cross Standing Stone ensures that this tangible link to Wales's prehistoric heritage remains safeguarded for future study and appreciation.
Sampson Cross Standing Stone is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference PE345. View the official record →
Sampson Cross Standing Stone is a prehistoric standing stone located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw under reference PE345.
Sampson Cross Standing Stone dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a standing stone. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Sampson Cross Standing Stone 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 PE345.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Stackpole Farm Standing Stone (0.8 km), Fishpond Camp (1.8 km), Stackpole Warren Hut Group (2.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Sampson Cross Standing Stone'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.
Sampson Cross Standing Stone stands on Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Mississippian. The rock here is limestone with subordinate sandstone and argillaceous rocks.