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Y Gyrn Round Cairns is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw. The site sits upon Middle Cambrian bedrock composed of mudstone, siltstone and sandstone, geological strata that form the foundation of much of the Welsh uplands and were laid down in shallow marine environments over 500 million years ago. These durable rock types would have provided ready stone for cairn construction, and their local weathering creates the stony ground characteristic of Welsh moorland.
Round cairns of this type were typically constructed during the Bronze Age as burial monuments, consisting of heaped stones covering one or more cremated or inhumed burials, sometimes accompanied by grave goods. The cairn form reflects a widespread funerary practice across Britain and Ireland during the second millennium BC. Y Gyrn's placement within the upland landscape, where stone outcrops naturally and visibility is commanding, follows the common pattern of Bronze Age burial placement in prominent, resource-rich locations.
The monument remains an important record of prehistoric death ritual and social commemoration. Its survival to the present day, protected under Cadw's guardianship, ensures that this Bronze Age burial site continues to contribute to understanding of prehistoric Welsh communities and their relationship with the upland environment.
Y Gyrn Round Cairns is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference ME062. View the official record →
Y Gyrn Round Cairns is a prehistoric round cairn located in Wales and protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference ME062.
Y Gyrn 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.
Y Gyrn 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 ME062.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Hut Circle South of Tyddyn-Du (7.9 km), Tyddyn Du Enclosed Settlement (7.9 km), Brwyn-Llynau Enclosed Settlement (8.3 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Y Gyrn Round 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 Gyrn Round Cairns stands on Middle Cambrian, bedrock that formed in the Middle Cambrian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.