Cors y Gedol

Also known as:
Coetan Arthur, Cors-y-Gedol, Corsygedol, Gors y Gedol and Gors-y-Gedol
Nearest town:
Barmouth (7km SE)
OS reference:
SH603228
OS sheet:
124
Latitude:
52° 47' 3.35 N
Longitude:
4° 4' 17.96 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by thesweetcheat

Moelfre looking both steep and far away, but at least it’s free of cloud and rain.

Image credit: A. Brookes (13.9.2022)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 8, 2023
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by costaexpress

I do understand that if you 360 any stone circle or burial chamber you will find some form of alignment, however, surely this is more than just coincidence

costaexpress
costaexpress Sep 29, 2022
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by costaexpress

You can almost drive to this little burial site, regardless, a very peaceful spot. Rather ruined site, popular with walkers and evidence of much more activity scattered around the area

costaexpress
costaexpress Sep 29, 2022
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by GLADMAN

The wondrous capstone leads the viewer’s gaze – almost unerringly – toward the summit of Moelfre topped by a massive cairn.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Oct 10, 2015
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by thesweetcheat

The stone in the foreground may have been part of a forecourt.

Image credit: A. Brookes (14.8.2015)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Aug 30, 2015
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by GLADMAN

Looking towards the southern Rhinogydd from inside the chamber.....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 9, 2010
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by Kammer

Taken 7th December 2003: The tomb viewed from the south. Cairn material is just about visible around the chamber, and the nice tarmac path is to the right of the shot (with menacing cattle in the distance – you can’t see them, but they’re there... waiting).

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer Jun 6, 2004
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by Kammer

Taken 7th December 2003: Viewed from the west with the might Moelfre in the background. It’s hard not to make a link between the position of the tomb and the mountain.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer Jun 6, 2004
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by greywether

Looking SW.

This may look like the front of the chamber with the portal stones visible but it is more probably the backstones which are shown and the capstone has slipped backwards

greywether
greywether Mar 18, 2004
Image of Cors y Gedol (Burial Chamber) by Moth

There’s loads of stuff just south of this but I didn’t have time for any more....

Image credit: Tim Clark
Moth
Moth Sep 3, 2003

Articles

Cors y Gedol

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 22, 2009

This was another of those ‘how has it taken me so long to get here’ sites.........

I recall cycling past on the return from Pont Scethin in 1998 and thinking ‘that’s nice’. 11 years later I finally decide to take a closer look on foot and it blows me away. Much better than I remembered, with a fantastic, substantial capstone and great location below the southern Rhinogydd – the ridge beyond teeming with other sites.......

Several nerdy walkers gawp at the individual hanging out inside the chamber, the postie speeds past no doubt oblivious. Of much more interest, a local comes across and introduces himself as a ‘dowser’. Apparently the vicinity is a ‘hotspot’ of activity in this respect and he’s well chuffed. So am I.

A Gladman, you might say.

Cors y Gedol

postman
postman Jun 17, 2007

Because of its easy access and out of the wayness I decided here would be a good place to christen my new lightweight 2man tent.
We got there just after sunset, with just enough light to erect said tent and take one photo. As me and Eric sat about watching the bats scoop about I came up with a brilliant idea I got in the car angled it just so and put the lights on full beam, and took a quick photo I think it came out quite well.
Needless to say waking up in the morning (to cow noises too close) just 20 yards from a burial chamber was cool . It was bigger than I thought nearby is a hut circle which I didnt look for but a mile or so further south east is the almost gone stone circle of llecheiddior

Cors y Gedol

Kammer
Kammer Jun 6, 2004

Visited 7th December 2003: Access to Cors y Gedol is very good, with a level tarmac path leading right past it. It would be a great site for a wheelchair user to visit, or anyone with limited mobility. The only potential problems are the uneven surface and gradient in the car park, the gate at the start of the path and getting to see the chamber from all angles. I’d have thought an extra set of hands would resolve most of these, except possibly the last.

Having described the access as very good, I should mention that we made very slow progress to the chamber because the nice farmer had put a herd of cattle in the field, including calves and at least one bull. We nearly turned back, but decided to keep going, moving gingerly along the perimeter wall. This seemed to work, but it wasn’t a relaxing experience.

The tomb itself is interesting, sitting in a beautiful location in the shadow of cairn capped Moelfre. The views out to sea are almost as striking. At the time I interpreted it as either an earth-fast tomb or a collapsed portal dolmen. There’s cairn material evident around the chamber, especially to the west. Possibly one of those sites best visited in winter.

Folklore

Cors y Gedol
Burial Chamber
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Feb 1, 2011

Coeten Arthur – Literally, Arthur’s Quoit – a cromlech near Llanddwywau, having the print of a large hand ingeniously cut on it, as if sunk in from the weight occasioned by holding it. It is a large flat stone somewhat of an oval form, about ten feet long, and, in the widest part, nearly seven broad, two feet thick at one end and not more than an inch at the other. It stands upon three rude stone pillars, each about half-a-yard broad. – Ed. Tr.

p152 in ‘Transactions of the Cymmrodorion’ v1 (1822). The first part of this seems to be copied from ‘The Cambrian Register for the year 1795’, except that says ‘a large hand dexterously carved on the side of it’.

Topics

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FourWinds
FourWinds
Mar 2004

Sites within 20km of Cors y Gedol

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