The Hanging Stone

Nearest town:
Neyland (3km SSW)
OS reference:
SM972082
OS sheets:
157, 158
Latitude:
51° 44' 6.9 N
Longitude:
4° 56' 14.58 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of The Hanging Stone (Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech) by GLADMAN

The Mam Cymru adds a touch of relative scale to this wonderful cromlech.

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 23, 2009

Articles

We make videos covering history and folklore of ancient sites in Wales. Here is one we made on The Hanging Stone. Hope you enjoy :)

CoralJackz
CoralJackz Oct 3, 2023

The Hanging Stone

GLADMAN
GLADMAN Sep 23, 2009

Glad to relate that the farmer who owns the house opposite is an educated, interesting man who clearly relishes living in the near vicinity of such a fine cromlech – as they call these fabulous structures in these parts. Very refreshing.........

Apparently the field boundary upon which the chamber stands has remained unaltered due to the relatively poor soil of South Pembrokeshire negating the incentive to expand farm size – only the ubiquitous spud and low grade cereal thrives here. Bad for the farmer, but great news for those who cherish the survival of monuments of this quality. I really do rate this as one of the finest of Pembrokeshire, nay Wales.

It also seems that the public footpath is the original track linking adjacent farms. Right on!

N.B – note that it is possible to park a car on the verge beside the footpath sign. Please don’t block the track as this is now very much in use.

The Hanging Stone

postman
postman Mar 12, 2009

Wow just look at that, what a superb dolmen I had no idea it was so huge. Even the super nearness of the house can be excused, if your into dolmems this one has to be near the top of your list along with Carreg Sampson and Ystumcegid.
The close proximity of a stone built wall counts for the cairn material I presume. I still cant beleive it though, even Phillippa said wow when we first clapped eyes on it , its just so big, Llech y tripped and coaten Arthur both up the coast are pale second cousins to this massive member of the dolmen race.. I know the house is a little off putting but just imagine sitting under the capstone on a hot summers day and watching the horses in the paddock not ten feet from the chamber, its a goodun.

The Hanging Stone

K
korgilud Feb 20, 2006

I was interested to read the comments about the great new house built next to the cromlech, altering its energetic field. Someone has removed the sign at the end of the lane advertising the cromlech’s location.

Anyway this is truly a magical site. There are more stones to the east, carelessly thrown into an hedge, probably formerly part of a double dolmen. That this was an important place and was still alive from Neolithic times to at least the Celtic era is recognised by local place names. For example, the cromlech is sited near the meeting point of two lanes – named Thurston and Oxland. It is also situated in the hamlet of Hill Mountain, a curious name. Until one realises the cromlech is just east of a part hidden natural mound (from which its stones might have come) that when ascended affords uninterrupted panoramic views (as estate agents would have it) of the whole of Pembrokeshire. Not only south towards St Daniels, Lundy Island and St Govans etc but also now to the north and the great mysterious diaspora of the Preseli Hills. Truly an impressive location. Great swathes of peaceful energy radiate.

The Hanging Stone

Merrick
Merrick Sep 7, 2004

With a tremendous commanding view south over a valley of multiple river confluences, the cromlech has a fat capstone on three uprights in the Llech-y-Tripedd style.

Despite Children & Nash (1997) saying there’s no trace of a mound, there is the clear remains of a mound higher than the chamber, with many cairnstone-sized stones poking through the surface of the immediate surroundings.

A fat capstone sized stone lies immediately adjacent in a field wall, along with two upright-sized stones. This is thought by WF Grimes (1939) and FM Lynch (1975) to be the remains of an entrance passage.

However, Children & Nash (1997) confidently assert it is the remnants of a second cromlech, in the St Elvis double-dolmen style.

As at Mountain cromlech in Mynydd Preseli, the incorporation of material in situ in a stone wall is actually a blessing as far as preservation is concerned, as the stones and any remains they cover are unlikely to be messed about.

The house adjacent has put an outdoor light facing the cromlech!

Directions: The village of Sardis is built on a 5-way crossroads. Take the south road, Thurston Lane, out. Just after the crest of the hill a footpath is signposted left down a track with double concreted tracks. Park here if you’re in a car (don’t worry about blocking the entrance too much, it’s not needed by farm vehicles, just cars from a house). The cromlech is a couple of hundred metres along.

visited 25 Aug 04

Miscellaneous

The Hanging Stone
Dolmen / Quoit / Cromlech
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Mar 6, 2011

[This cromlech in the parish of Burton] was inspected when the Society, in 1864 [..] at which time it was built round with loose stones, and used as a small sheepcot. It has since been cleared out, and is now seen to much better advantage whan when visited by the Society. At that time there were some small remains of the original packing of small stones in the interstices between the slabs – a very unusual occurrence. What was left was but a very small portion, but quite sufficient to give an idea of the firm manner in which this dry rubblework was worked in. [..] It is known as the hanging stone; an unusual name in Wales for such remains, if this part of Pembrokeshire can be called Welsh.

From v III of Archaeologia Cambrensis (1872) ‘Notes On Some South Wales Cromlechs’ by E L Barnwell.

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