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

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Kings Quoit (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

The cromlech could be responsible for the name of the village. 'Maenorbyr' may well take its name from the same root as Ynys Byr (Caldey Island) just around the coast. It's thought this could be 'pure island' (used in the same sense as many islands are called Holy Island). Ynys Byr has a long history of sacred use, from the Neolithic through Bronze Age up to the monks who live there to the present day. In the same way, Maenorbyr replaces Ynys ('island') with 'maen' ('stone'); holy or sacred stone.

Carn Gilfach (Chambered Tomb)

Barber & Williams (1989) say it's a biggy, 13 and a half feet long capstone on four uprights.

Children & Nash (1997) say it's a very low cromlech – a few centimetres above the ground - cut into the rock, and at a distance almost indistinguishable from the natural forms. It's a sub-megalithic tomb, with the sunken chamber being part above and part below ground level. They also assert that there's no evidence of a covering mound, and indeed that the ledge is probably too narrow to have ever had one.

GE Daniel (1950) suggests the capstone could be in its natural place, with it being underpinned whilst the chamber was cut underneath it.

CT Barker (1992) suggests that what appears to be remnants of other uprights are in fact remains of drystone walling.

Richard Fenton (1811) records charcoal and pottery being recovered from the site in 1800.

Like Garnwnda, Carn Wen, Ffynnon Druidion and Penrhiw cromlechs, this is clearly oriented on an adjacent rock outcrop, which in itself may have been the proto-temple, in the same way Cnoc an Tursa is at Calanais.

However, we utterly failed to find the exact location of this cromlech. The hilltop is awash with aggressive and punishing gorse, and as we couldn't see where the monument was among it we gave up.

nearly visited 21 Aug 04

Rhos y Clegyrn (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Whilst the recent archaeology describes a pair of stones, the OS map of 1843 calls it 'Circle', with later editions saying 'Standing Stone' and 'Circle'.

Whilst this initially suggests a stone circle to the enthusiastic and optimistic megalithomaniac, I think it actually refers to the adjacent tumulus. They are so close as to appear to be a single monument, especially to earlier cartographers with their lesser knowledge of prehistoric chronology. The same area denoted as 'Standing Stone' and 'Circle' is now 'Standing Stone' and 'Tumulus'; it must just be that the stone was omitted from the 1843 map.

The site was apparently featured in Archaeologia Cambrensis 1974 (p.13-42), and also the Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments (p.378 of Pembroke), but I've not seen either of these documents so I've no idea if they definitively clear the matter up.

Ffynnon Druidion Burial Chamber

Sad to report it is destroyed.

In Archaeologia Cambrensis 1872 (p139) they describe it as entirely demolished with only a few stones on the site. GE Daniel (1950) said only a few stones existed at that time, Barber & Williams (1989) report seeing the remains of a capstone and supporters in an overgrown hedge in 1985, and Children & Nash (1997) report the same, adding 'within a few metres of the tomb is evidence of extensive ground disturbance and a collection of rusting farm machinery'.

It's apparently also described in Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments No.1063 of Pembroke with a photo and description.

Children & Nash say that in 1830 the place was being levelled by labourers who discovered a neolithic polished stone handaxe made from gabbro, rock that had come from northern Ireland. Known as Tenby A8, it's now in Tenby museum.

Ffynnon Druidion (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Barber & Williams (The Ancient Stones of Wales, 1989) say it was marked as 'Cromlech' on the OS map of 1843.

The fact that it was altered to 'Standing Stone' for subsequent editions and there seems to be no other reports of it ever being more than a solitary stone makes me think the 1843 OS guys acted in error.

Garnwnda (Burial Chamber)

The photo in Barber & Williams' The Ancient Stones of Wales (1989) labelled 'Carn Wnda' is wrong, it's of a different cromlech altogether.

Trellyffant (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

In 1188, Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales) said that Trellyffant ('Toad's Town') was so named because it was the tomb of a chieftain devoured by toads.

Eithbed (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech)

Barber & Williams (1989) say it's been covered in Archaeologia Cambrensis (1910 p.486 & 1911 p.300), and in the volumes of the Royal Commission of Ancient Monuments no.635 of Pembroke.

Cornel Bach (Standing Stones)

Barber & Williams (1989) list it as the remains of a cromlech. They say Samuel Lewis' A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1844, vol II, p.198) refers to a large stone several tons in weight, so nicely poised on three small upright stones as to vibrate on the slightest touch and upon being struck it sounded like a bell.

They go on to say it was blown up with gunpowder by village inhabitants, and that Archaeologia Cambrensis in 1974 list two stones both 6ft high.

Clearly, if it was a cromlech then either one of the stones has been moved, or else the cromlech had an outlier. I'd suggest that if either's been moved it'd be the southern one – the stone in the middle of a field is not as likely to have been moved as the one by the downhill field boundary.

Yr Allor (Standing Stones)

The existence of the third stone is confirmed by Stukeley's drawing circa 1720.

Children & Nash (1997) say there were three pairs of standing stones between Yr Allor and Meini Gwyr, an idea reinforced by Stukeley's diagram of Meini Gwyr labelled 'Two more stones standing 100 paces distant this way'.

Meini Gwyr (Stone Circle)

Children & Nash (1997) say there were three pairs of stones between the circle and the 'cove' of Yr Allor. Stukeley's diagram of the circle circa 1720 says 'Two more stones standing 100 paces distant this way' – this must refer to some of these standing stones, as his drawing of Yr Allor shows three stones standing.

There is a suggestion on the info board at the site that the cove may have been a cromlech.
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