Situated on slightly improved moorland pasture at the edge of the enclosed land on the southern slopes of Cefnen Wen at 371m above Ordnance Datum, are the remains of multiple stone rows and a round cairn (NPRN 408634). Survey of the stone rows by RCAHMW in 2008 recorded 87 small limestone stones, set in turf and arranged over 18 rows on a north-west to south-east alignment encompassing an area roughly 17 m square. The majority of stones protrude no more than 5 cm above the surface and are under 0.2m in length, suggesting that many more lie beneath the turf, indeed, some 130 stones had previously been recorded by the Ordnance Survey in 1977. The distance between individual stones in each row varies between 0.2m ? 1m, whilst the rows are set 0.6 - 0.9m apart. The rows appear to be aligned on a head row of slightly larger stones running north-east to south-west and which point to a cairn 8.8m to the south-west (NPRN 303306). A low turf mound at the north-eastern end of this alignment may also be a further cairn. Roughly centrally placed along this head row is a large now recumbent stone which may once have been a standing stone, this measures 1.6m long by 1m wide and is 0.4m thick.

The stone rows were first noticed by a shepherd following a slight fall of snow which caused the stones to show up by contrast. Following this it was examined and partially excavated in March 1884 by the Rev. Owen Jones, then vicar of Pentrefoelas and Mr A. H. A. Cocks of Great Marlow. Excavation included the area to the north of the recumbent stone where nothing was found and around other stones whose location was not recorded. At one place two stones were exposed leaning against each other, although only one actually showed above ground. A piece of flat limestone had also been placed between the two.

750m south-west of this at Hafod-y-Garreg (NPRN 300898) is a similar monument much larger in scale but not as well preserved due to later field improvement.

The survey of the Hafod-y-Dre Stone Rows and Cairn is catalogued under the main site record: NPRN 408634.

Louise Barker, RCAHMW, 9th January 2009

Sources
Cocks A. H. 1918 `Antiquities on the Voelas Estate, Denbighshire?, Archaeologia Cambrensis 18 (6th series), 123-32
Davies, E. 1929, The Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Denbighshire