Dyffryn Ardudwy

Also known as:
Coetan Arthur and Dyffryn Burial Chamber
Nearest town:
Barmouth (8km SE)
OS reference:
SH589229
OS sheet:
124
Latitude:
52° 47' 5.27 N
Longitude:
4° 5' 32.8 W

Images

Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by costaexpress

Parked in the village hall, popped in to check it was OK and they made me a cup of tea and slice of cake!

costaexpress
costaexpress Sep 29, 2022
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by costaexpress

Impressive now, easy to imagine how much more so this must have been 5000 years ago when (presumably) a fully covered mound

costaexpress
costaexpress Sep 29, 2022
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by thesweetcheat

Grooved top of one of the orthostats in the western chamber.

Image credit: A. Brookes (14.8.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 31, 2015
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by postman

From beyond the modern enclosing wall going up the hill.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 6, 2013
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by postman

All the scrub has been removed from around the dolmens allowing a small walk about.

Image credit: Chris Bickerton
postman
postman Jan 6, 2013
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by Ravenfeather

Slightly elevated shot taken from perched atop the wall surrounding the site!

Image credit: Paul Kesterton
Ravenfeather
Ravenfeather Jul 17, 2012
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by mort

The Cromlech’s at Dyffryn Ardudwy.

Image credit: Mark Mortimer
mort
mort Feb 13, 2011
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by gjrk

The western chamber. Inside the Tent of the Presence.

Image credit: gjrk
gjrk
gjrk Jul 28, 2007
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by ShropshireTraveller

Dyffryn Ardudwy is a very easily accessible site, which brings with it a problem. The larger, later dolmen is used as a den. A hearth was built against one of the uprights, now heavily sooted. The chamber was littered with drink cans, and the surrounding cairn has broken drinks bottles and glass in many places. We took away a carrier bag overflowing with unwanted material.

Image credit: Shropshire Traveller / Tim Prevett
ShropshireTraveller
ShropshireTraveller Oct 8, 2005
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by treaclechops

A view of both dolmens, showing their entrances, and the Lleyn Penninsula in the background on the right. Bloody lovely.

Image credit: Rebecca van der Putt 2004
treaclechops
treaclechops Nov 9, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by treaclechops

The arresting Kate and a hot dog offer a sense of scale.

Image credit: Rebecca van der Putt 2004
treaclechops
treaclechops Nov 9, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by treaclechops

The huge capstone on the larger of the two dolmens.

Image credit: Rebecca van der Putt 2004
treaclechops
treaclechops Nov 9, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by treaclechops

A sight to gladden any cromlech-lover’s heart. :o)

Image credit: Rebecca van der Putt 2004
treaclechops
treaclechops Nov 9, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by Kammer

Taken 7th December 2003: The eastern chamber with it’s brickwork pseudo-orthostat, viewed from the south west.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer Jun 4, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by Kammer

Taken 7th December 2003: From inside the western chamber looking east. It’s tricky squeezing inside, but there’s room in there for an adult, a one year old and a four year old.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer Jun 4, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by Kammer

Taken 7th December 2003: The western chamber, viewed from the north east.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer Jun 4, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by Kammer

Taken 7th December 2003: This is the capstone of the western chamber, viewed from the north west.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer Jun 4, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by greywether

The W dolmen.

Originally this stood here alone in a round cairn incorporating a wide V-shaped forecourt.

When the E dolmen was built, the long rectangular cairn incorporated this dolmen.

greywether
greywether Mar 22, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by greywether

The E dolmen and the later of the two.

Two lines of stones extending from the W end (one running in line with the chamber and the other curved to the SE) indicate a possible forecourt area here also.

greywether
greywether Mar 22, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by greywether

The cairn which was added when the E dolmen was built incorporating the earlier W dolmen (in the foreground).

greywether
greywether Mar 22, 2004
Image of Dyffryn Ardudwy (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by Moth

The larger and repaired dolmen/quoit/cromlech. Carrying on Julian’s tradition of pregnant women at old stones, here’s the ex-Moth partner Andrea with ‘the-bump-that-would-soon-be-Callan’....

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Sep 3, 2003

Articles

Dyffryn Ardudwy

C
CARL Sep 4, 2013

Visited 30.8.13

After spending several hours on the beach in the lovely town of Barmouth (despite the drizzle) we ‘happened’ to be driving past this fine site on our way up to Harlech and its great castle (well worth visiting).

Well, I just had to pop in and say hello – didn’t I?

The others sat in the car and I headed up the lane and through the kissing gate.

Everything was just as I remembered although perhaps a little smaller?
I had the place to myself and was delighted to observe that not one piece of litter was to be seen – despite this being a well know site just off the main road. In fact, at all the sites I visited over the 3 days of my mini-break in North Wales I didn’t see one item of litter. Any North Wallians reading this can hold their heads up with pride – you obviously respect your past.

Are you listening South Wales?

Dyffryn Ardudwy

Ravenfeather
Ravenfeather Jul 17, 2012

Visited 12th May 2012

There are some places you just don’t appreciate in one visit, and for me Dyffryn Ardudwy was one. The first time I was here I was a bit disappointed by the built up surroundings of the dolmens. Nearby houses and the school seemed to hem in the site and, along with a slightly unsympathetic restoration, one of the chambers was littered with cans and other detritus which indicated it was a favoured party spot for local youths. My next visit was on a grey and rainy day, leaden Welsh skies seeming to bleach the colour from the surroundings as I huddled for shelter next to the tree which canopied the chambers. So today’s visit was one I made just because we were passing. I’m so glad we did.

Like Kammer we parked in the small cul-de-sac of Bro Arthur just past the school, and walked up the short path to the twin dolmens. On this lovely sunny day the site is transformed. Dappled sunlight bathes the monument, and bluebells rather than rubbish, dot the site. I clamber onto the nearby wall to get a more elevated shot of the monument and it’s as if I’m seeing it with new eyes.

The two dolmens are of a good size, and I take a bit more time to investigate the chambers, noting the strange marks gouged into one of the portal stones of the western chamber, which I hadn’t seen before. The eastern chamber is larger, but in places is shored up by some ugly brickwork.

The oak tree growing here is wonderful, and whilst Ellen spends some time sketching the site I climb onto a low sloping branch which is just right to recline on, and contemplate the monument. Although Dyffryn Ardudwy is only the decimated skeleton of the monument it once was the stones around the perimeter allow you to get a sense of the size the monument would have been when covered by a mound or cairn material. Dyffryn Ardudwy is an enigmatic site, despite the relatively urban location, and slightly dodgy restoration, it’s not quite like anywhere else, and retains a special feeling, made extra special on this sublime afternoon. I feel like I finally ‘get’ Dyffryn Ardudwy now!

Dyffryn Ardudwy

C
CARL May 10, 2010

I visited this site last summer whilst staying in Bala for a few days. I parked just off the main road in a (school?) car park. This was just to the left of the path which takes you from the main road to the site. It is only a small walk and has chippings on the floor so you don’t get muddy. It was a lot larger than I expected and it it quite tricky walking over the loose stones to get right up close to the chambers. In fact I nearly broke my ankle here as little Dafydd first insisted on sitting on top of the higher capstone and then decided to throw himself off without any warning! This involved me catching him mid-air but then stumbling backwards over the stones. Thankfully, my ankle was sore but not broken. A very good site to visit with easy access.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

postman
postman Dec 19, 2009

We got up early and drove for three hours to get to this double dolmen, parked by the school as it was early on saturday.
For the past hour it has been snowing and it snowed all the time we were there, we indulged in a little snowball fight, Iv’e been lead to believe its compulsory to have one but not to enjoy it.
If only the big dolmen was still held aloft on its own instead of the distracting brickwork, a good place to sort your camera out, out of the rain/snow.
The smaller older dolmen is as perfect a little structure as you could hope for, Ive probably said that more than once though.
Walking in a winter wonderland....

Dyffryn Ardudwy

Kammer
Kammer Jun 6, 2004

Visited 7th December 2003: We parked in the cul-de-sac called Bro Arthur, walked back onto the main road then made our way up the path to the mighty Dyffryn Ardudwy. Luckily for us the weather was spot on, with good crisp winter sunshine.

It was a dynamic visit. The cairn material made it tricky for Alfie to walk around, so he was in a bit of a grump at first. Then William managed to get his foot wedged between two of the orthostats in the eastern chamber. I rescued him, and after some tears he was back to normal, pretending he was in a ‘ty-house’ (or is that ‘tea-house’). Before we left I squeezed into the western chamber with both the boys, peaking out at Lou (who wasn’t silly enough to follow us). The boys thought this was hysterical (so did I if I’m honest).

Dyffryn Ardudwy

IronMan
IronMan Apr 18, 2002

Visited en-route from London to Holyhead. This site has been on my list of sites I yearned to visit for a long time now, and arriving here I wan’t at all dissapointed. The landscape surrounding is peaceful – not exactly awe inspiring, but calm and reflective. We waited here till it got dark then continued on to Anglesey.

Dyffryn Ardudwy

Wotan
Wotan Feb 18, 2002

One of the first ‘real’ monuments I met firsthand. Around 1985, Summer on the Lleyn. Found it by virtue of a  tourist map, which also indicated that the local shop held leaflets about the monument – I just received frowns and dirty looks when i enquired!

I wasn’t expecting such a vast site – again, this was a first for me and the sense of scale and feeling of ‘place’ was immense. Disregarding the ‘sympathetic’ restoration by Wimpey during a lunch-break, the monument bleeds antiquity.

I had loaded a high definition film with the intention of getting some shots before approaching the site, and the sun was well over her midpoint by the time i reached the place. The massive oak rustled in the rising breeze, throwing a shifting shadowplay over the backs of the crouched stones.
It was interesting to think that the tree, already several times thicker than my waist, had seen many summers than I could imagine, and yet compared to Ardudwy, its lifetime was a brief crowded hour of furious growth.

Taking the shots between the two dolmens, and looking ‘in’ to the cramped space, feeling the stones grind and complain beneath my clumsy feet, i had the distinct impression of the genius loci and almost felt myself observed in turn.
w

Dyffryn Ardudwy

mort
mort Jan 7, 2001

Could the smallest of the 2 dolmens be a mistake?
From the pictures I’ve seen it impressed me of the size, if all the stones that covered it have been removed, it must once have been quite impressive an object to look at and be near.
I wonder if the children at the nearby primary school have any clue what exactly lies to the rear, and if so do they apreciate its importance as the people who built it did and do they play there?

Miscellaneous

Dyffryn Ardudwy
Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech
K
karmacymru Aug 17, 2003

I own a piece of land adjacent to the chambers, a survey has been carried out and a number of anomalies were found, the most mysterious being a 25 metre stone elipse, a 5 metre stone circle within it and and what appears to be an entrance facing the chambers.

There are many other anomalies on the land and the whole area exudes peace and tranquility, you can stand there and watch the sun go down and leave all your worries behind. Our horses love to graze on the land, they seem so at ease with the stones and undulations even if they do trip up from time to time.

We also have five of the largest oak trees in the area growing out of a ‘platform’ of stones. I’d love to know more about this era but according to archaeologists there is so little information available that the purpose of the remains may forever remain a mystery.

The sad part is the shameful building of the school and the council houses on the land to the west of the chambers, it is also unfortunate that planning consent was given on the land to the north. There was one large enclosure many years ago and this was chopped into smaller parcels when the local authority exercised a compulsory purchase order on the area that now contains the school and the ‘affordable housing’ we now see ruining the landscape.

I’ve been thinking about a little information centre so that people can see more of the treasures of the uplands around Dyffryn Ardudwy, would it be of interest to the visitors?

Topics

Dyffryn, Cromlech 10
FourWinds
FourWinds
May 2006
Dyffryn Ardudwy 1
J
Joe Chip
Aug 2001

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