The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

The following information has been provided under the terms and conditions of access as detailed on GGAT’s website www.ggat.org.uk.  Copyright is reserved on all data supplied by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust. All output resulting from the use of the data must acknowledge the source as follows:-
Derived from information held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust copyright.

The data below is intended to be used for information and research only and is not for use as part of a commercial project.  If you wish to use information derived from material held by the GGAT HER Charitable Trust for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. For further information or to arrange a visit to the Trust please send an enquiry form http://www.ggat.org.uk/her/english/enquiry_form.html to her@ggat.org.uk.

Round Barrow, Mynydd Marchywel 1

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00518w
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Cilybebyll
Unitary authority : Neath Port Talbot
NGR : SN7681803783
Site Type (preferred type first) : Bronze Age Round barrow
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
On the summit of the mountain 10m W of the trig point. The monument now takes the form of a loose and very disrupted heap of sandstone and quartzite blocks and boulders, mainly ranging between < 0.1m and 0.5m, but with some larger. GGAt 72

Description :
On the summit of the mountain 10m W of the trig point. It was described by RCAHMW in 1962 thus: 'The cairn is now a stony area about 14 m in diameter, the stones piled irregularly and reaching a maximum height of 0.6 m. Some have been robbed to build a small modern shelter just to the N.E. The original limits of the cairn are not easy to determine, but in places a kerb of slabs on edge can be seen, and these indicate a diameter of 10.1 m'.
The monument now takes the form of a loose and very disrupted heap of sandstone and quartzite blocks and boulders, mainly ranging between < 0.1m and 0.5m, but with some larger. Only one of the possible kerbstones could be seen; this is sandstone and measures 0.6x0.4m; otherwise no details of the structure are now apparent. This cairn is in a very poor state of preservation, and a combination of robbing and grass growth makes it very difficult to determine where the edges are. A sheep-shelter has been constructed to the NE, presumably making use of stones removed from the cairn; there is also a rudimentary structure to the S of the cairn. c10m diameter; c0.4m high GGAT 72 Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual Sites survey 2001.

(1956) An irregular pile of stones of various sizes and shapes It has average measurements of 14.0m by 7.0m and a height of 1.2m
(Source 12)
(1962/1976) On the summit of the mountain, at 410 m above O.D. The cairn is now a stony area about 14 m in diameter, the stones piled irregularly and reaching a maximum height of 0.6 m. Some have been robbed to build a small modern shelter just to the N.E. The original limits of the cairn are not easy to determine, but in places a kerb of slabs on edge can be seen, and these indicate a diameter of 10.1 m. Much of the cairn has been robbed to its base, which is revealed as a pavement of flat stones. Both pavement and kerb incorporate quartz boulders.
At 15.5 m to the S.W. a small mound with a kerb of stones looks at first sight like another cairn , but its stones lie in places on a recent humified layer and in others on a bed of lime mortar, and it must be a modern construction.
A good hollow trail descends the slope N. of the cairn in a series of sweeping zig zags.
(1972) A cairn close to bench-mark 1162 on the OS 6-inch sheet is stated in the field notebooks of Sir Cyril and Lady Fox.to have several orthostats projecting from its badly wrecked foundations. These might represent the remnants of several cists. A visit by HNS in 1970 confirmed the general terms of the statement: the cairn, about 9.2m in diameter and 0.6m high seems to have been little, if at all, disturbed duing the last thirty years; but it is grassed over and it is impossible to say, without excavation, how many cists there were and how large. Probably there were not more than three, but most of the slabs seem to be out of position and they are all titled, so that it is uncertain whether they were more than small coffers protecting urns, like those of Templeton (Pembs) and Capel Cynon (Cards). NOTE: NGR has been given erroneously as SN772047 (Source 14)
(1977) As RCAHM (Source 06)
(1982) The surrounding area is now afforested, otherwise , no change. Five possible kerb stones could be recognised. (Source 07)
(1989) No obvious change since 1985. I was not able to locate the feature described by RCAHM as lying 15m to the SW, it may have been ploughed out. The original margin of the cairn is now very difficult to identify. (Source 11)
(1996) The remains are substantially unchanged although there has been some movement of individual stones , presumably by visitors. (Source 13)
(1996) Cairn, c10m diameter, of irregularly piled stones reaching 0.6m high. Some robbing to make modern shelter to NE. A kerb of slabs can be seen in some places but the stones are spread beyond the orginal diameter. (Source 03)

Sources :
01/ OS 6 inch 1st edition (1890) map
02/ CPAT forest enterprise project phase II 1998
03/ Forest Enterprise Welsh Heritage Assets Project Phase II
04/ PM list// RCAHM/// 1976/ Glam Invent/ p 62 No. 90
05/ MM Record card/ OS/// 1961/ SN 70 SE 4/
06/ MM Record card/ OS/// 1977/ SN 70 SE 4/
07/ MM Record card/ OS/// 1982/ SN 70 SE 4/
08/ PM desc text/ Rutter/ JG/ 1948/ Prehistoric Gower/ p 54 M1
09/ PM Mention/ Savory/ HN/ 1971/ Neath Symposium/ Ed. E. Jenkins p 28
10/ MM Desc text/ CADW/ Burnham/ HB/ 19.11.85 AM 7/ SN 70 SE/
11/ MM Desc text/ CADW/ Burnham/ HB/ 1989/ AM 107 327/
12/ MM Record card/ OS/// 1957/ SN 70 SE 4/
13/ MM Desc text/ CADW/ Burnham/ HB/ 1989/ AM 107C
14/PM Desc Text/Lynch & Burgess/Savory HN/1972/Prehist Man in Wales and the West/p125-7,133
Forest Enterprise Welsh Heritage Assets Project Phase II
OS 6 inch 1st edition (1890) map
CPAT forest enterprise project phase II 1998

Events :

Related records

Compiled date :


March 28, 2025, 3:57 pm - HTML file produced from GGAT HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 Tel. 01792 655208; Fax 01792 474469 website: www.ggat.org.uk  email: her@ggat.org.uk Registered Charity no. 505609
Data supplied by in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © GGAT HER Charitable Trust, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025).