Ancient Monuments

History on the Ground

This site is entirely user-supported. See how you can help.

Cairns West of Craig y Dyffryn

A Scheduled Monument in Henllys, Torfaen (Tor-faen)

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

If Google Street View is available, the image is from the best available vantage point looking, if possible, towards the location of the monument. Where it is not available, the satellite view is shown instead.

Coordinates

Latitude: 51.6285 / 51°37'42"N

Longitude: -3.0835 / 3°5'0"W

OS Eastings: 325100

OS Northings: 192742

OS Grid: ST251927

Mapcode National: GBR J2.8M3H

Mapcode Global: VH7B4.HBRF

Entry Name: Cairns West of Craig y Dyffryn

Scheduled Date:

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 2968

Cadw Legacy ID: MM045

Schedule Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

Category: Round cairn

Period: Prehistoric

County: Torfaen (Tor-faen)

Community: Henllys

Traditional County: Monmouthshire

Description

The monument comprises the remains four burial cairns, probably dating to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 - 800 BC), located on an area of level ground on the S-facing slopes of Mynydd Henllys in an area of former forestry. Cairn A is a circular in plan, 21m in diameter and 2.3m high, and survives as a pronounced mound with a flat top. There is a central hollow in the top of the cairn, 1m deep, which has exposed the stone core of the monument. Cairn B is located 5m to the S of cairn A and consists of a roughly oval shaped spread of stones measuring 12m NE/SW by 10m. There are faint traces of an earthen bank on the S side of the cairn. Cairn C is located immediately S of cairn B and appears to be a platform or a ring cairn, although it has been significantly disturbed by tree roots. It comprises a stone and earth bank, 1m high, surrounding a level area 6m in diameter. Cairn D is located 40m to the NW of cairn A and comprises a pronounced circular spread of stones and earth 11m in diameter and 1.3m high.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of prehistoric burial and ritual practices. The monument is an important relic of a prehistoric funerary and ritual landscape and retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of both intact burial or ritual deposits, together with environmental and structural evidence. Cairns may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.

Source: Cadw

Other nearby scheduled monuments

AncientMonuments.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact AncientMonuments.uk for any queries related to any individual ancient or schedued monument, planning permission related to scheduled monuments or the scheduling process itself.

AncientMonuments.uk is a Good Stuff website.