Heneb Historic Environment Record

The following information has been provided under the terms and conditions of access as detailed on Heneb’s website www.heneb.org.uk.  Copyright is reserved on all data supplied by the Heneb HER Charitable Trust. All output resulting from the use of the data must acknowledge the source as follows:-
Derived from information held by the Heneb 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 Heneb 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 HER please send an enquiry form or email her@heneb.org.uk.

Gwern-y-Cleppa

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00061g
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Coedkernew
Unitary authority : Newport
NGR : ST27678503
Site Type (preferred type first) : Neolithic Chambered tomb
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
The present visit noted 7 stones situated in a slight hollow on a local summit in Cleppa Park. The site comprises 1 capstone, 5 upright stones (orthastats) and a 6th beneath the capstone. S recumbent stone-diameter; 1.2m x 0.5m height; 0.7m. W orthastat-

Description :
The present visit noted 7 stones situated in a slight hollow on a local summit in Cleppa Park. The site comprises 1 capstone, 5 upright stones (orthastats) and a 6th beneath the capstone. S recumbent stone-diameter; 1.2m x 0.5m height; 0.7m. W orthastat-diameter; 0.9m 0.6m height; 0.85m. 2 central stones-diameter; 0.6m x 0.5m and 0.8m x 0.4m. NW orthastat-diameter; 0.5m x 1m height; 0.5m. SE orthastat-diameter; 1.2m x 0.5m height; 1.1m. The capstone is a conglomerate, as are the others, and leans to the W on a 45 degree angle over a recumbent stone that appears to have originally stood upright. The triangular shaped capstone is quite small (2.2m x 1.8m x 0.3m), has collapsed to the SE over the recumbent stone, and would only cover half of the barrow chamber thus indicating a loss of at least half of the stone in antiquity. The mound is aligned NW-SE whilst the alignment of the chamber is N-S (6.5m NE-SW x 4.5m SE-NW). The perimeter of the mound is regular, steeply sloping to the S, while the N side has a negligible gradient. The Chambered Tomb has commanding views over the Severn Estuary.
Dimensions: diameter 17m; height 1.2m

(1925) Cleppa Park. Clearly the remains of burial chamber, but traces of the original covering mound are faint. It was probably oriented due E-W. The remains of the mound are most clear around the chamber at the E end where the mound is almost 50ft across. To the W, traces of the mound are visible and may be informed from hummocky brown patches of turf: if the inference from these paches is correct the original length of the mound would have been about 135ft. (Source 01/02)

(1955) The chamber consists at present of seven stones - a capstone, three standing uprights, one fallen and two small half buried stones.
The supporting stones of the chamber have been mutilated and the coverer (capstone) broken, but enough remains to show that the whole structure was of considerable size. Three of the uprights remain in situ, the largest measures .3'6" high, but appears to have been broken off at this height, another stone which evidently formed one of the supports now lies partly under the coverer. The covering stone (capstone) has been split in two and only one part remains.The cist (chamber) lay SE & NW (?) and the mound which covered it was about 50ft diameter of which traces remain. (Source 01)

(1987) The burial chamber lies in a permanent pasture field, grazed by cows and sheep, on ground sloping to the SE. Just below it, to the SE, is the M4 motorway. It consists of a group of 7 stones of varying sizes standing in a slight hollow on a low mound. The mound is c.1m high to the E and W, of negligible height to the N, and c.1.5-2m high on the S. Its sides slope gently. At the E end is a conglomerate upright c.1m high, 0.8m wide and 0.6m thick. To the W of it are 2 small stones 0.4 and 0.5m high and 0.6m wide. W of these is another conglomerate stone 0.8m high, and S of it the large capstone which rests on a smaller stone and is tilted towards the S. It is 1.8 by 1.5m. To the W of it is another smaller stone 1 by 0.6m. (Source 04)

(1991) Site is located in a pasture field close to the M4 motorway. According to neighbours the farm has been sold to a consortium in Jersey who have submitted a planning application for a golf course. (Source 07)

GGAT 72 Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual Sites Project 2003

Sources :
Rowe, S.J. , 2003 , Cleppa Park (Gwern y Cleppa): Sites of Historic Interest
03/PH Mention///1849/Arch Camb/Vol 4 pp 294-320/3rd Annual Meeting
pp151-2
01/MM Record Card/OS//1962/ST 28 NE 18/
02/PM Desc Text//Crawford OGS/1925/Long Barrows of the Cotswolds/
04/MM Desc Text/AM 107/Whittle E/1987//
Cardiff
Pm desc text/Evans EM/2003/GGAT 72 Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual Sites Project
06/MM AP/RCAHM//1992//925305-16Cardiffpp151-2
07/PM Desc Text/AM107/Taylor F/1991
05/MM A-P/GGAT/Owen John H/23.08.89/A92.20/
06/MM AP/RCAHM//1992//925305-16

Events :
E003700 : Graig-Y-Saeson Farm, Newport (year : 1992)
E004909 : Cleppa Park (Gwern y Cleppa) (year : 2003)
E007857 : Welsh Government Celtic Lakes, South of A48 in Coedkernew (year : 2015)
E008091 : Imperial Way, Duffryn, Newport (year : 2018)
E006759 : Land at the Former Quinn Radiator Factory, Duffryn Lane, Imperial Park, Newport (year : 2021)
E008736 : Land at and adjoining Imperial Park, Newport (year : 1996)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 94861

Compiled date : 27-01-1988


HTML file produced from Heneb HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Corner House, 6 Camarthen Street, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, SA19 6AE. Tel. 01558 823121; website: www.heneb.org.uk   email: her@heneb.org.uk. Registered Charity no. 504616. Data supplied by in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © Heneb HER Charitable Trust, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025).

February 7, 2026, 5:14 am

  Do you have information to add to the record? Contribute here! Heneb HER Information Submission Form