Lists of scheduled monuments in Wales facts for kids
Scheduled monuments are really old and important places in Wales. Think of them as special historical sites, like ancient castles, burial mounds, or old Roman forts. They get legal protection to make sure they aren't damaged or built over. This helps us learn about the past!
In Wales, a group called Cadw (which means 'to keep' or 'to protect' in Welsh) is in charge of these monuments. Cadw is part of the Welsh government. They decide which sites are important enough to be protected.
For a place to become a scheduled monument, it has to be super important to Welsh history. This means it helps us understand a certain time period or type of history in Wales. Cadw looks at things like how rare the site is, how well it's documented, if it's part of a group of important sites, how well it has survived, and if it's easily damaged.
Besides Cadw, other groups like the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the four Welsh Archaeological Trusts also have lots of information about these amazing places.
As of May 2012, there were 4,186 scheduled monuments across all 22 main areas of Wales. Some sites, like old bridges or ancient paths, even cross the borders between two areas. This means they are listed in both places!
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Protecting Wales's Past
These scheduled monuments are super important because they are like open-air museums. They show us how people lived, worked, and fought many hundreds or even thousands of years ago. By protecting them, we make sure future generations can also learn from these amazing historical clues.
Why Protection Matters
Protecting these sites means they can't be dug up, built on, or damaged without special permission. This stops important historical evidence from being lost forever. It helps archaeologists study them carefully and learn more about our ancestors.
Types of Monuments You Might Find
Scheduled monuments can be many different things. They might be:
- Ancient burial mounds where important people were buried.
- Old forts or castles that show how people defended themselves.
- Remains of Roman villas or towns.
- Old industrial sites, like mines or tramroads, from more recent history.
- Even ancient field systems that show how people farmed.
Where to Find Scheduled Monuments
There are thousands of scheduled monuments all over Wales. They are found in every county and county borough. Each area has its own list of these special places. For example, some areas like Pembrokeshire and Powys have hundreds of sites!
You can find lists of these monuments for different parts of Wales, like:
- List of scheduled monuments in Blaenau Gwent
- List of scheduled monuments in Cardiff
- Scheduled monuments in Carmarthenshire
- Scheduled monuments in Ceredigion
- List of scheduled monuments in Conwy County Borough
- List of scheduled monuments in Flintshire
- Scheduled monuments in Gwynedd
- List of scheduled monuments in Isle of Anglesey
- List of scheduled monuments in Monmouthshire
- Scheduled monuments in Pembrokeshire
- Scheduled monuments in Powys
- List of scheduled monuments in Swansea
- List of scheduled monuments in Wrexham County Borough
These lists often break down the sites even further. For example, you might find separate lists for prehistoric sites (from before written history) and Roman-to-modern sites.
See also
- List of Cadw properties
- List of hill forts in Wales
- List of Roman villas in Wales
- List of castles in Wales
- Historic houses in Wales
- List of monastic houses in Wales
- List of museums in Wales
- Listed buildings in Wales
