| |
 Log in |
Register
|
|
|
Wales
Gray HillStone Circle
|
Show map (inline Google Map)
|
|
|
Images (click to view fullsize) |
 Add an image |
Photographs:
Maps / Plans / Diagrams:
|
Fieldnotes |
Add fieldnotes |
| This can be tricky to find as when you get to the top of the hill the stones are not visible. Once at the top, take the path along the ridge to your left (when looking at the River Severn). As you walk along the path you will see the two Severn Bridges. Head 'off track' roughly between the two bridges until you see the outliner. Harder to spt in the summer due to the masses of bracken. |
Posted by CARL 10th March 2010ce Edited 25th May 2010ce |
|
What a great site! Walked up from Foresters Oaks round barrow, climbing Gray Hill up the path from the NW corner of the hill, which involves a very steep climb. Once at the top, at the western end of a ridge, you come out right next to a low cairn. There are views across to the Black Mountains, while the Severn flows past to the south. Both Severn bridges are visible. From here, I walked east along the ridge, before cutting southwards down the slope. After a while the large outlier became visible. The outlier is a big, "double slab" of conglomerate rock, leaning to the north-east. From the outlier, another large standing stone is visible further down the hill to the south - this stone is another outlier, standing immediately adjacent to the eastern end of the circle itself. The circle is small ring of recumbent slabs. Although it's overgrown by the vegetation, it's a lovely setting, with terrific views over the Severn. Two larger stones lie in the circle, possibly the remains of some kind of "cove" setting - they were reported as being upright in the 19th century. After months exploring the limestone of the Cotswolds, the ferns and quartz-pebbled rock were a welcome change of texture and reminded me of Cornwall. A truly lovely place to come. From here I headed down the slope to the south, passing a smaller, moss-covered, possible standing stone next to the path as it wound through the trees. Then off to the pretty village of Llanvair-Discoed and its possible menhir. |
Posted by thesweetcheat13th July 2009ce Edited 10th June 2012ce |
|
Best to park in the Wentwood carpark, rather than park off the track and be told off by an irate farmer like i did! This time of year the bracken is very high and so the stones are quite hard to find. Basically keep going along the top of the hill until u come to a tiny cairn that points the way, heading towards the river. There are huge huge views looking way across the magnificent Severn. It really is a Goddess of a river! First u come to an outlier, which guides u towards the circle. Then100 yrds on u come to the circle itself. Most of the stones are recumbent, but u can get a good feel of what it was like. Apparently the circle is surrounded by a D shape enlosure with raised banks and "Ritualistic Items" have been found in the banks. The local archeologists think that this circle is late neolithic, which will be the only one of this age in Wales. It is going to be investigated further next year. |
Posted by girlinwellies22nd September 2002ce |
Miscellaneous |
Add miscellaneous |
| The remains of a stone circle on the south-east side of Gray hill,above Caerwent. It is 32 feet in diameter with thirteen stones. |
Posted by zoso 26th May 2002ce Edited 22nd March 2013ce |
Links |
Add a link |
Sketchbook of William Henry GreeneCircle on the Grey Hill. Sketch by William Henry Greene Around 1893. Also see http://www.newportpast.com/gallery/whgreene/others/s2722a.htm Online at 'Newport Past', along with his many other local sketches, courtesy of Pontypool Museum and sponsor Steve Thomas. |
Posted by Rhiannon23rd December 2005ce Edited 23rd December 2005ce |
PAST - The Prehistoric SocietyThe Gray Hill Landscape Research Project: A stone circle, possible stone row or standing stones and prehistoric cairns were known on the hilltop, but a GPS-based assessment survey carried out in 1999-2000 by Graham Makepeace on behalf of Monmouthshire County Council identified many more archaeological features.. |
Posted by Rhiannon 4th March 2005ce |
Top of page