Sarn Meyllteyrn

Also known as:
Meyllteyrn Chapel Standing Stone
Nearest town:
Pwllheli (13km ENE)
OS reference:
SH237328
OS sheet:
123
Latitude:
52° 51' 48.1 N
Longitude:
4° 37' 9.32 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Articles

Sarn Meyllteyrn

postman
postman Aug 21, 2012

The disputed stone in a graveyard. Cant quite say why it would be disputed, it’s not that different than Llangwnnadl menhir just a couple of miles away, slightly more rectangular in section maybe, but of a similar height and both seem to focus upon Carn Fadryn, or at least both can see the big forted hill.

But it’s the atmosphere here that stops one in their tracks, the sun pours down upon us for the first time today, two Buzzards are flying round really close and calling loudly to each other, or perhaps to Eric and me. The mist still clings to the hill tops and glows in the morning sunshine, the church has a big heavy door with a handle that needs two hands to turn, inside is the church you always wanted, half height walls and no roof, how very pagan. A most surprising graveyard this one, I like the quiet tranquility of a grave yard, I was once into ancient Yews and saw a few old churches then as well, but to have views across North Wales and a big standing stone thrown in all that’s missing from here is an ancient yew and i’d never leave. Bucolic, that’s the word.

Sarn Meyllteyrn

skins
skins Sep 23, 2009

There is some dispute over the authenticity of this standing stone. But It takes your breath away when you see it standing in the grave yard. The stone is over 8 feet high. It seems to be aligned with Carn Fadryn – your eye goes straight to the hill over the valley.
The hole near the top was apparently when the stone was used to hold a lantern, which leads you to believe it is an true relic, as a christian object wouldn’t be used in such a flippant way.
Oh be careful parking outside the church, as I was nearly hit by a white van speeding along!

Sarn Meyllteyrn

M
m6 Nov 5, 2007

Visited the general locality passing through Sarn Meyllteyrn in 2005. was informed from a local source [Gwenllian] that the place name could be broken down as follows

sarn – ford
meyll (mal) – place [of]
teyrn – king or kings

the standing stone and site is thought of as ‘the burial place of Rhiw kings’; it is a mere several kilometres from Mynydd Rhiw *neolithic axe factory*, so it is surprising there are not more stone age monuments hard by – perhaps there are, or were? also, local place names seem to abound with deer names, into which could be read much, perhaps -

there also appears to be an ancient well or spring nearby, known as ‘ffynnon fair’ -

rhiw.com/hanes_02/axe_factory/mynydd_rhiw_axe_factory.htm

streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=223500&y=332500&z=5&sv=223500,332500&st=4&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=223500&ay=332500

streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=223500&y=331500&z=3&sv=223500,331500&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=223500&ay=332500

thanks

Ric

Sarn Meyllteyrn

A
Adam L Mar 11, 2005

Worth peeking inside the church to see how much more attractive such contained worship would be were the roof removed. Not sure whether this is a result of design or decay, but was reminded of this passage from TMA:

“the roofing of the temple, which, it was claimed, allowed the worshipper more time for quiet contemplation, was the final christian cap, removing forever the relationship of the worshippers with their sensual landscape, their rain and their skies.”

Not so here. Would be nice to think that with the stone and the unroofed chapel, this is a real example of pagan values surviving within ‘keltic christianity’ right up to the present day....

Sarn Meyllteyrn

hamish
hamish Oct 3, 2004

What more can I say. I found this by accident but I’m glad that I did. It doesn’t seem to get many visitors. The view from the chapel is magnificent.

Sarn Meyllteyrn

R
rdavymed Sep 8, 2003

This is a magnificent site. Not marked on any OS map I have seen. Travelling North towards the B4417 from the village of Sarn Meyllteyrn, look out for the gate on your right hand side (there is room to park).

Sarn Meyllteyrn

Wotan
Wotan Feb 18, 2002

Came across this lonely stone while tripping around the Lleyn. Had just visited Coetan Arthur and almost missed this stone. By chance I peered through a locked gate around the chapel graveyard and there it stood, arrogantly erect and defiantly posed next to the path from the gate as a poignant reminder to the christian flock. The holes near the top seem to stare in cyclopean ire as it towers in all its pagan beauty like a lynchpin arresting the flow of time . The chapel almost seems to sit apologetically in its shadow.

A wonderful and evocative ‘lith, well worth searching out!
Bill

Sarn Meyllteyrn

D
Dave M Jun 25, 2000

If you’re on the Lleyn, looking at the burial chambers there, search for this standing stone. It’s in the graveyard of a (ruined) chapel and is over 2m high. It stands by the side of the path to the chapel and looks like a megalithic interloper, disguising its Pagan past amongst the gravestones.

Topics

Prehistoric? 16
Kammer
Kammer
Nov 2007

Sites within 20km of Sarn Meyllteyrn

Like all websites everywhere, we use cookies.