Bryn Rhosau

Nearest town:
Aberystwyth (15km W)
OS reference:
SN733799
OS sheets:
135, 147
Latitude:
52° 24' 7.12 N
Longitude:
3° 51' 45.25 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by thesweetcheat

The southern cairn, with Llyn-yr-Oerfa below. Pendinas hillfort near Aberystwyth can just be seen faintly on the skyline, right.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2023)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 7, 2024
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by thesweetcheat

Looking from the top of the northern barrow towards Disgwalfa Fawr, Drosgol and Y Garn (Pumlumon), all topped with cairns.

Image credit: A. Brookes (18.5.2023)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Jul 7, 2024
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by GLADMAN

Pumlumon, source of the Severn, Wye and Rheidol... not to mention possibly the UK’s finest upland cemetery... forms the northern vista. Nature accorded the appropriate flourish

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 19, 2017
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by GLADMAN

(arguably) Three cairns in a row. But let’s talk about the clouds...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 19, 2017
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by GLADMAN

Needless to say there was a major lashing awaiting in those clouds; critical saturation... the rucksack gives an indication of scale.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 19, 2017
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by GLADMAN

Looking across the southern cairn, with Cwmdeuddwr upon the left hand skyline.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 19, 2017
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by GLADMAN

The northern monument... of what I took to be a trio....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 19, 2017
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by Kammer

Taken 6th December 2003: The smaller southern barrow, covered in moss. The modest hill Mynydd Ffynnon-Wen behind it. Between the two hills runs Afon Tuen, a tributary of the Rheidol.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer May 28, 2004
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by Kammer

Taken 6th December 2003: The larger northern barrow, with the Rheidol Windfarm behind it on Bwa Drain. Note the pronounced ditch surrounding the barrow.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer May 28, 2004
Image of Bryn Rhosau (Round Barrow(s)) by Kammer

Taken 6th December 2003: This is the larger of the two barrows (the northern one) with the moon rising behind it.

Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Kammer May 28, 2004

Articles

Bryn Rhosau

Kammer
Kammer Jun 4, 2004

Visited 6th December 2003: I’ve visited the Bryn Rhosau barrows a few times before, mainly because they’re very close to my house. Round barrows are unusual in this part of Ceredigion, and of these two the one to the north is especially well defined. Gelli is not far to the west, with Dolgamfa and Ysbytty Cynfyn off to the east. This area must have been something special during the Bronze Age. These two barrows may be connected with Afon Tuen, a small tributary of the Rheidol, which once had it’s source where Lyn yr Oerfa is now.

It’s a very exposed spot, so when we last visited the winter winds made it hard to stand up. In the summer it’s beautiful though, with wild flower growing on the Common, Skylarks, Red Kite, Buzzards, Brown Hare etc. The Rheidol Wind Farm is relatively close, but not intrusive.

The Bryn Rhosau barrows are on Common Land, but it’s not straightforward getting to them. The quickest route I’ve found is to park by Lyn yr Oerfa (SN72957978) and walk up the public footpath that follows the track north. After the first house, take the stile on the left (you’re now on Common Land) and continue north, parallel to the boundary fence (the round barrows are now silhouetted on the horizon to the east). Once you have passed north of the two houses you can turn east (at SN73138014 and make your way up to the barrows.

Sites within 20km of Bryn Rhosau

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