The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Wenallt

Round Barrow(s)

Fieldnotes

Visited 17.9.11

I had been meaning to visit this site all year as it is relatively close to where I live but as you know, it is often the sites close to home you end up visiting last!

To get to this site you really need an O/S map to navigate the maze of minor roads east of Risca (near Newport)
Basically you need the narrow lane which runs North West from the school (I didn't catch the school's name)
As you head up the lane there is a small passing area you can pull into on the left – near the brow of the hill – park here.
Then it's a case of jumping over the fence, wading through waist high brambles and nettles until you reach the open grassy area behind the modern houses.

The Barrow itself (marked cairn on O/S map) is not much to write home about. Now just a raised mound covered in brambles and bracken. In fact you would easily walk right past it if you weren't looking for it specifically. Disappointing but still there.
I could not make out any of the stone details mentioned by COFLEIN due to the overgrown nature of the site – other than the oak sapling which is now a large bush!

There are reasonable views to the south. Twmbarlwm stands proud to the north.

I can't really recommend a visit but if you are desperate I suggest tie it in with a visit to the nearby Twmbarlwm Hillfort (which is well worth a visit).
In fact if you keep heading north along the lane it takes you to the base of Twmbarwm.

COFLEIN describes the site:
'The mound is more overgrown than it was 10 years previously and appears to have spread. It is now a stony mound measuring 14m x 13 m with a height of 0.75 m on the NE and 0.4 m on the SW. A small boulder lies atop the mound, off-centre to the NE. In addition to bracken and grasses the mound now supports an oak sapling'.
D Leighton 7 Dec 1999.
Posted by CARL
21st September 2011ce

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