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Bryn Beddau

Visited both Bryn Beddau & Maen Llwyd 29.10.10.
My first visit to these sites which are less then 20 miles from home and I must admit that I was really surprised to find them more than just another set of stones.

The Forestry Commission have made a neat stone path to each site off their existing forestry road and whilst not waymarked (except for the info board at the Glan y Gors carpark) you cannot miss them. All trees, grasses, etc are cleared around the sites and makes for an atmospheric visit (well I was on my own which also helped). For the birders the forest was also full of crossbills.

Bryn Beddau is descibed elswhere and may not be a site high up on many ‘stones to see’ lists, but I recommend you go if you are anywhere near. It only takes an hour to see both sites once parked up.

Coflein lists two ‘cairns’, south and north with the south cairn being “lost to forestry”. I guess the one visible today is the north cairn. Judging by it’s position if you strip away the FC’s trees this site has great views of the distant Hiraethogs and as the crow flies not that far from the cairn sites at Llyn Brenig. A possible link? I’ll be returning for sure.

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Bryn Beddau

Located off the B5105 between Ruthin and Cerrigydrudion.After passing south through Clawdd newydd look for a carpark to your right, if it has an information board your there, pay attention to the board it has directions for both stone and circle . Watch out for wild Przewalskis horses( I kid you not)

It’s only been a few hours since we gave up on this place, but after a successful stone hunt at Maentwrog and another look at the info board I reckoned I knew just where it was.
I did too, The long walk down the path eventually bends to the right, fifty yards on look amongst the trees to your left a small clearing contains this shy but pretty little stone circle.
About nine or ten stones remain, best noted at the northern side, but they are mostly missing on the southern arc. It’s not a circle but a long oval
aligned north east – south west maybe. Two large stones may mark an eastern entrance one pointy topped the other flat topped.
I’m no expert though, but both Eric and me liked this little stone circle, we renamed it after ourselves... Hope you dont mind

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Folklore

Bryn Beddau
Stone Circle

Many years ago the late Lord Bagot removed the Emlyn Stone from Bedd Emlyn to his residence at Pool Park near Ruthin, the distance being hardly two miles, and the stone not of very large size. The transport, however, took two days, and the waggon did break down for some reason or other; so that the whole transaction was looked on as very mysterious, and confirmatory of the local superstition [that you shouldn’t go moving stones].

Coflein has Bedd Emlyn at the same place as the Bryn Beddau cairns, although it is more of a pit now than a cairn. The stone from the cairn is supposed to be inscribed with ogham, and Coflein says it has been taken to the national museum in Cardiff. I can’t find a picture. But even if it really is later, it must get special approval for being associated with older cairns?

From v III of Archaeologia Cambrensis (1872) ‘Notes On Some South Wales Cromlechs’ by E L Barnwell.

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Folklore

Bryn Beddau
Stone Circle

Calling at a farm, Maes y tyddyn Ucha, a lad told me he knew where Bryn y Beddu (Hill of the Graves) was, where he said his father had told him there had been severe fighting in the olden days.

From ‘Archaeological Notes and Queries’ by A Stepney-Gulston, in Archaeologia Cambrensis 15:60, 1898, p370.

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Sites within 20km of Bryn Beddau