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Pant-y-Griafolen

Ancient Village / Settlement / Misc. Earthwork

<b>Pant-y-Griafolen</b>Posted by GLADMANImage © Robert Gladstone
Nearest Town:Bethesda (8km W)
OS Ref (GB):   SH707665 / Sheet: 115
Latitude:53° 10' 46.19" N
Longitude:   3° 56' 6" W

Added by Rhiannon


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<b>Pant-y-Griafolen</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Pant-y-Griafolen</b>Posted by GLADMAN

Folklore

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There are traces of a serious number of round huts here. Coflein conscientiously lists each one (there are nearly 30) but is forced to say 'hard to discern in the field due to fairly extensive stone scatter'. The huts lie handily along the course of the Pant-y-griafolen stream. Some of its water comes from Llyn Dulyn, 'the black lake', which is very close by and was a natural lake adapted as a reservoir in the 19th century.

The dark lake has some strange folklore, as such a dramatic place might:
The extraordinary property of producing rain, when spilt upon a stone, is attributed to the waters of Llyn Dulyn, in Snowdon, according to the following account, which is translated from the Greal, a Welsh Magazine, published in London, 1805.

"There is a lake in the mountains of Snowdon, called Dulyn, in a rugged valley, encircled by high steep rocks. This lake is extremely black, and its fish are deformed and unsightly, having large heads and small bodies. No wild swans are ever seen alighting upon it (such as are on all the other lakes in Snowdon), nor ducks, nor any bird whatever. And there is a causeway of stones leading into this lake; and if any one goes along this causeway, even when it is hot sunshine, and throws water so as to wet the furthest stone, which is called the Red Altar [yr Allawr Goch], it is a chance if it do not rain before night.
Witness, T. Prys, of Plas Iolyn, and Sion Davydd, of Rhiwlas, in Llan Silin."
This is mentioned in Lady Guest's version of the Mabinogion, online at the Sacred Texts Archive (p77).
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab09.htm

Much nastier, is this from chapter one of Marie Trevelyan's 'Folk-lore and folk-stories of Wales' (1909):
This black lake is supposed to be an extinct and fathomless volcano, and shepherds in the surrounding mountains used to say that the appearance of a dove near those black and fateful waters foretokened the descent of a beautiful but wicked woman's soul to torment in the underworld.

In the seventeenth century people believed that if anybody had the courage on one of the "three-spirit nights" to watch beside Llyn Dulyn he would see who were to die within the next twelve months. Fiends would arise from the lake and drag those who had led evil lives into the black waters. Those who had led good lives would be guided past the causeway leading to the lake, and vanish in spirit forms robed in white. A reputed witch disappeared from the district, and a shepherd said he saw her being dragged into the black waters. [A.B.]
Online at V Wales.
http://www.vwales.co.uk/ebooks/welshfolklore/chapt1.htm

Its malign influence has obviously continued to have effect, as in 1942 a plane crashed into the tall and foreboding rocks behind, and pieces of it eventually wound up in the lake, where they are yet.
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
24th July 2007ce
Edited 26th July 2007ce

Miscellaneous

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According to Rhiannon's wondrous folklore this forms quite an extensive settlement beside two of the darkest lakes in all Snowdonia!!

Unable to log any actual 'fieldnotes' since I was merely a' passing by at a distance... en-route to the Bronze Age monuments crowning Foel Grach and Carnedd Llewelyn rising above. Yeah, at my age a diversion was asking a tad too much, it has to be said. To be fair this is remote enough.... a stunning location, well worth a primary visit. Perhaps another time, when the knees finally call 'enough'.

The cliffs of the aforementioned Foel Grach tower above, the harsh call of the crow - hey, perhaps even raven - echoing from the rock face (bless... probably sounds pretty sexy to another crow). What an incredibly extreme place to make your home! However seen in the low early morning light, methinks this is truly exquisite. The truly fit may wish to make a call before - or after - a visit to the high Carneddau peaks. If so, I salute you. Hell, I salute you if you come here anyway. The world needs people willing to do such things.

The easiest route here begins at the road terminus at Llyn Eigiau... the drive to this point quite an adventure in itself, with numerous other monuments in the area, too. Follow the green track to the approx north-west (i.e. not the one leading to Llyn Eigiau) and... depending on your point of view... either take the second right hand path to arc around to the north (not done this myself) or stay upon the main track and make your way across the Afon Dulyn as best you can.

Ah, Y Carneddau. Every great cairn needed people to build it, to make it much more than a pile of stones. Places like Pant-y-Griafolen were where such people lived.
GLADMAN Posted by GLADMAN
29th March 2012ce
Edited 31st March 2012ce