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Waun Oer

Stone Row / Alignment

<b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postmanImage © Chris Bickerton
Also known as:
  • Morfa standing stones

Nearest Town:Barmouth (5km N)
OS Ref (GB):   SH618113 / Sheet: 124
Latitude:52° 40' 52.77" N
Longitude:   4° 2' 40.51" W

Added by StarryEyes


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<b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Meic <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Meic <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Meic <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by postman <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Kammer <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Kammer <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Kammer <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Kammer <b>Waun Oer</b>Posted by Kammer

Fieldnotes

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We approached down the many gated lane that goes past llyn Cregennen, it has the most gates ive ever seen, really infuriating in the rain, got soaked before we even got there.
Parking was had opposite the gateway through which the stones are just twenty metres beyond.
It was raining, misty and windy when we got out of the car but just five minutes on the weather improved slightly, enough to be able to see the sea and down into Barmouth bay and the peak of Pen y Garn (459m).
The fifth stone that wasnt located on Kammers visit is the fallen northern end stone, obscured by welsh stone hiding grass, not to be confused with lesser other stone hiding grasses.
This would be a good place for a winter solstice sunset, as the row points more or less in the right direction, it may not be exact but with the setting sun and a good stone row in one eyefull, who can resist, one day maybe.
postman Posted by postman
17th July 2011ce

Visited November 24th 2002: After Bryn Seward we headed off to find Waun Oer. The stones are easy to miss as you approach them because of a tall dry stone wall running between them and the road. Luckily we spotted one of the stones through a gateway. Even better there was no gate in the gateway, so apart from the mud there was nothing stopping me from strolling in to the field to take a closer look.

This row is much more complete than Bryn Seward, with five stones remaining, two of which are fallen. I must admit that I'm a bit confused looking back over my photos, because I can only see four stones in them. Perhaps one of them had wondered off!

The most distinctive stone is a big fallen one, with unusual elongated markings on it. There's a nearby boulder with similar markings, and this was cited in the Cadw records as evidence that both sets of markings are probably naturally formed. In the case of the stone in the row, the patterns may have been artificially enhanced. The fallen stone also has a cup mark on it near it's pointed end, a little over an inch in diameter. Unfortunately I only discovered this after my visit.

Interestingly, the Cadw surveyor drew comparisons between Waun Oer and the West Kennett Avenue (in his notes he put 'don't laugh' in brackets). In the same way that the Kennet stones are often identified as either male or female in shape, this chap reckoned that the Waun Oer stones also fall into two distinct types. I'll have to go back and check this out, as well as searching out the cup mark.
Kammer Posted by Kammer
13th December 2002ce
Edited 12th November 2003ce

Miscellaneous

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The name Waun Oer translates from the Welsh into English as cold moor. The word oer is in common use in the modern language (you sometimes see it on Welsh language taps). It also crops up in loads of Welsh place names, especially in the area where I live (I don't really need to explain why). Kammer Posted by Kammer
13th December 2002ce
Edited 7th December 2005ce