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Y Foel Cairns is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales, constructed from stone gathered from the local landscape and built upon bedrock of Caradoc Rocks. This geological foundation, composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone laid down during the Caradocian period, provides the solid base upon which generations placed this monument. The cairn exemplifies the burial practices of prehistoric communities who chose elevated locations for their ceremonial structures, selecting materials readily available from their immediate surroundings.
Round cairns of this type typically date to the Bronze Age, serving as prominent markers across the Welsh uplands and serving both funerary and territorial functions within their communities. The construction from locally sourced stone, characteristic of such monuments, reflects the practical knowledge prehistoric builders possessed regarding their environment and available resources.
Y Foel Cairns is protected by Cadw, the Welsh heritage organisation, under reference CN378, ensuring its preservation for future study and appreciation. This designation recognises its significance as part of Wales's prehistoric heritage and its value as a physical record of early settlement patterns and social organisation in the region.
Y Foel Cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference CN378. View the official record →
Y Foel Cairns is a prehistoric round cairn situated in Wales, constructed from stone gathered from the local landscape and built upon bedrock of Caradoc Rocks. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference CN378.
Y Foel 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.
Y Foel 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 CN378.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Six Inscribed Stones in St Tudclud's Church, Penmachno (1.1 km), Barn N of Pen-y-Bryn (1.4 km), Roman Bridge Penmachno (2.5 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Y Foel Cairns'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.
Y Foel Cairns stands on Caradoc Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Caradocian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.