© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales, built upon bedrock of Wenlock sandstone and conglomerate. The underlying geology—an interbedded sequence formed during the Wenlock period—would have provided readily available stone for the monument's construction. This foundation of sedimentary rock has shaped the landscape in which the cairn was raised, offering both practical building material and visual prominence across the surrounding terrain.
The monument comprises a stone cairn with an associated stone setting, typical of Bronze Age funerary or ceremonial practice in Wales. Such structures served as enduring burial markers or ritual focal points within the prehistoric landscape, their substantial stone construction ensuring visibility and longevity across millennia. The surviving remains allow interpretation of the builders' choice of location and their engagement with the local topography and geology.
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting is protected as a scheduled monument under Cadw, Wales's historic environment service, under reference MG269. This designation recognises its archaeological significance and ensures its preservation for research and public understanding of Wales's prehistoric past.
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MG269. View the official record →
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales, built upon bedrock of Wenlock sandstone and conglomerate. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MG269.
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting 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.
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting 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 MG269.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Llechwedd Du Round Cairn (0.3 km), Mynydd Dyfnant Stone Alignment (1.5 km), Cae'r Lloi Round Barrow (3.9 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting'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.
Tryfel Cairns and Stone Setting stands on Wenlock Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Wenlock. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.