Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer)

Also known as:
Maesycymmer, Pont Bren Gwyn and Ynysddu
Nearest town:
Caerphilly (5km S)
OS reference:
ST16799197
OS sheet:
171
Latitude:
51° 37' 11.64 N
Longitude:
3° 12' 7.43 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer) (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The rubble bank of Pont Bren Gwyn ring cairn runs from the foreground in the centre, round to the left of the image, before curving back round towards the gap in the wall under the tree.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.1.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 12, 2023
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Image of Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer) (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Detail of Pont Bren Gwyn ring cairn. The bank on the southeastern arc of the monument is in the foreground, the open centre behind.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.1.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 12, 2023
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Image of Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer) (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Pont Bren Gwyn ring cairn (ST1708091940) occupies the midground in the centre of the image, to the right of the tree and in front of the wall.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.1.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 12, 2023
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Image of Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer) (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

The exposed cist in the centre of Mynydd Bach 1. The slab on the left appears to be in situ. If there’s a capstone somewhere, I didn’t see it. I’m not convinced the slab in the background is large enough.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.1.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 12, 2023
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Image of Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer) (Cairn(s)) by thesweetcheat

Looking northwest across the exposed cist in the centre of Mynydd Bach 1, towards the higher ridges above the Rhondda, Cynon and Taf valleys.

Image credit: A. Brookes (30.1.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 12, 2023
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Articles

Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer)

thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 15, 2023
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The first cairn of the day is Mynydd Bach 2, a low monument marked on the Ordnance Survey map. It sits in an area of gorse and scrub, criss-crossed by various tracks and I’m not particularly optimistic that it’s going to be easy to find. I follow one of the broad tracks running west from the main ridgeway, then another heading south. And amazingly, clear of the thick gorse smothering much of the area, here is the cairn. As described in the HER, it’s a low, circular monument. It rises highest above the surrounding ground surface on its eastern arc. I wouldn’t be surprised if it has always been a low monument, rather than the remains of a bigger robbed-out mound, as there are other ring cairns close by. From here I can see the obvious profile of Mynydd Machen, which is on the agenda for later.

Apart from a couple of stones protruding where gorse bushes have been cut back, the monument is covered in turf. Close by are signs of rubbish or motor debris having been burned, but at least it’s not happened on the monument itself. Although it’s not the most exciting cairn, I’m delighted to have found it so easily and drink in the extensive views.

Next I head into the scrubbier ground to the west, where there is supposed to be another ring cairn, unmarked on the OS map. After wandering for a bit and poking around in the gorse and tussocks I declare this one a failure. There’s plenty more to come, so I’m not too disheartened by this setback.

Returning to the main ridge path, the next cairn south (Mynydd Bach 1) is much more obvious. It lies in a grassy field to the west of the access land, and can be seen prominently from the path. The unexpected obstacle to this one turns out to be resident sheep, who take curiosity to heights bordering on belligerent, crowding around right behind me as I cross their field. To be fair I’m intruding on them, but it’s like something between panto season and Life of Brian; my attempts to convince them that I am not the messiah are unsuccessful.

They follow me all the way onto the cairn itself, which makes taking photos somewhat difficult as I’m constantly on the brink of being pushed over from behind by whichever sheep is the bravest of the flock. Nevertheless, this invasion of my personal space doesn’t detract from what is a fine monument, with a cist exposed in its centre. Two side slabs remain, one still in place, the other lying out of position. There’s a bit of rubbish too, unfortunately, although by local standards it’s quite minor. A further small slab lies on the northern edge of the mound, but I’m not convinced it would have been large enough to be the capstone. There are fine views to the northwest, looking towards the higher ridges. To the west Cwm Rhymni drops away. If you can shake off the sheep, this is a very decent monument to visit.

With my retinue following me to the fence, I head south. Leaving them behind, the ground drops quite steeply and according to Coflein (but not GGAT) there is supposedly another very irregular cairn here. Apart from an area of stone exposed from quarrying, I can’t find anything at all in 10 minutes or so of walking backwards and forwards across the sloping field, so I give up and head back to the ridge path.

The next monument, Pont Bren Gwyn ring cairn, sounds like it will be elusive. However, the OS map is helpful in showing an obvious kink in the wall right where it’s supposed to be, and so it proves. Beneath a lone tree, with a broken wall on its west side, the arcing bank around the east side of the monument is quite easy to make out in the low sunlight and low vegetation of this time of year. Definitely one for the enthusiast, but like Mynydd Bach 2 it’s the sort of monument that gives a sense of satisfaction just from finding it at all. The name defies my attempts at translation; although it sounds like it may be related to “Brenin”, it seems that “Bren” may be a proper noun, which would make it “White Bren’s Bridge” I think. Like Mynydd Bach 2, the views are all eastwards, towards Mynydd y Lan.

All in all this little group of sites has been a great start to the walk. There are plenty of other people out enjoying the winter Sunday sunshine, but no-one seems overly interested in these obscure lumps and bumps. No change there!

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Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer)

C
CARL Aug 28, 2012
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Failed visit 24.8.12

Directions:
North West of Twyn Cae-Hugh Barrow – on open moorland.

I couldn’t spot this cairn as the terrain in undulating moorland which has large areas covered in ferns.
There were several possibilities for the cairn but they all turned out to be natural as I could find no trace of the cist.
No doubt a winter visit would make things easier?

COFLEIN states:
‘A turf covered stony mound measuring 15m in diameter and 0.8m high. A cist has been exposed at its centre. The capstone lies a few metres to the north’.

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Miscellaneous

Mynydd Bach (Maesycymmer)
Cairn(s)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jan 8, 2023
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Several cairns of various types along the Mynydd Bach ridge. North to south descriptions:

Mynydd Bach 2/Maesycymmer cairn (ST1703292614)

GGAT description:

A robbed cairn 16m in diameter with a few stones protruding through its grass covered surface. It is 0.6m high on the E side and 0.2m high on the W side. There are shallow depressions in the top and sides. No cist or retaining circle is visible.

Maesycymmer Ring Cairn (ST16979246)

Not shown on the OS map. GGAT description:

A cairn 23m in diameter with a maximum height of 1m. A fragmentary rim is visible but within the rim mutilation is extensive and the mound is of irregular height and plan. No cist is visible. The cairn is partly grass covered and is in the path of an encroaching coal tip.

Mynydd Bach 1/Ynysddu/Pen-rhiw cairn (ST1678991977)

GGAT description:

The cairn is situated on the top of the ridge, in a grass field. It is turf covered, c.13m in diameter and 1m high. In the middle two slabs of a cist are showing, 1m and 0.75m long, in a depression, 1.5m by 1.5m and 0.7m deep. Some small stones are lying in this depression, and some larger ones are lying on the surface. On the northern side is a disturbance hollow, turf-covered, 2m in diameter, and 0.5m deep, with a few large stones lying in it. To the W of the cairn is an area of quarrying.

Pont Bren Gwyn ring cairn (ST1708091940)

Not shown on the OS map. Coflein description:

On a narrow strip of open land between field walls and a track over the mountain lies the remains of a ring feature. It is defined by an arc of stony bank, open on the W side, measuring 2m-3m wide and 0.5m high on the outer E side but only 0.25m internally. The overall diameter of the ring would have been about 10.5m.

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