thesweetcheat

Two round barrows next to the Port Way trackway on the Long Mynd. Pastscape descriptions:

NE barrow (SO42289554)

Bowl barrow on Wildmoor, 200m north-east of the Shooting Box. Scheduled (RSM). The surrounding ditch has become infilled but survives as a buried feature some 2m wide.

SW barrow – “The Shooting Box” (SO42109538)

Disc barrow; the mound, 20.0 m in diameter, 2.0 m in height, has been quarried into on the N side, and the centre has been dug away from the E side to shelter a shooting box. The annular bank is 50.0 m in diameter, 7.0 m in width and 0.2 to 0.5 m in height. A track cuts through the SE side. Site under heather.

Pastscape description of this hilltop barrow:

A round barrow under pasture, 22.0m in diameter, 2.0m in height.

Bowl barrow on Cothercott Hill, 420m east of New Leasowes Farm. The surrounding ditch has become infilled but survives as a buried feature some 2m wide.

A group of four barrows, spread over a mile, are shown on the OS 1/25000. A fifth possible barrow has been mapped by the Marches Uplands project. The central two are the ones known as Robin Hood’s Butts. Info from Pastscape:

NW barrow (SO 42409672)

A heather-covered round barrow upon a gentle E-facing slope, is 20.0m in diameter and has a height of 1.3m. There are no visible remains of a ditch. The mound is disturbed at the centre.

Henley Nap barrow (SO42799686) – not on OS map

A heather-covered round barrow, situated at SO 42799686, on the summitof a local rise of ground upon the top of the Lond Myd at about 1480 feet above OD.

The barrow measures 14.0M in diameter, and stands 1.2m in height. A post-and-wire fince upon a parish boundary bank crosses the north-eastperimeter, beyond which the barrow protrudes into arable land, where it has been reduced by ploughing.

Robin Hood’s Butts barrows

SO 4302 9655. Bowl barrow and section of boundary bank on Duckley Nap, 500m east of Wildmoor Pool. The overall appearance is of a smaller upper mound 18.5m in diameter surmounting a flat topped lower mound 35.5m in diameter, standing to a height of 4.2m. It is classified as a stepped bowl barrow and is a good example of this unusual class of round barrow. The north-eastern edge of the lower mound is crossed by a field boundary bank of stone and earth construction which appears to be of considerable age. The section where it crosses the barrow is included in the scheduling. The surrounding ditch has become infilled but survives as a buried feature some 2.5m wide.

SO 4306 9661. Bowl barrow, 540m east of Wildmoor Pool. The surrounding ditch has become largely infilled but can be traced as a slight earthwork 4m wide and 0.3m deep around the north-east side of the mound.

SE barrow (SO43379618)

A heather-covered round barrow, upon the top of a ridge 22.0m in diameter and 1.1m in height. No visible remains of a ditch. Large central excavation crater, 7.0m in diameter.

Bowl barrow 500m south-east of Duckley Nap. The surrounding ditch has become infilled but survives as a buried feature some 2m wide.

Pastscape information:

IA promontory earthwork on Bodbury Hill. It measures, overall, 100.0m NE-SW by 95.0m transversely and is pear-shaped in plan. The NE-facing rampart is 6.0 to 10.0m wide and up to 1.7m high internally. It rises 3.5m above an outer ditch which is 8.0m wide and up to 1.3m deep. At the eastern end are remains of a simple entrance. The fort is elsewhere bounded by a steep scarping of the natural slopes, which is 7.0m in width and 3.0 to 3.5m in height. Beyond the narrow berm the slopes fall away precipitously.

An Iron Age field system occupies the top of Hope Bowdler Hill. Pastscape description:

On the south facing pasture slopes of Hope Bowdler Hill, between the 1000 and 1100 foot contours, are the remains of a Celtic field system in two well defined groups. The first, centred SO 479933, comprises a group of eight fields occupying a southern spur. The lynchets range from 0.3m to 2.0m in height, with field banks, some containing much loose stone, up to 0.2m in height. The fields measure about 200.0m by 70.0m.

The eastern group, centred SO 485934, has smaller fields (about 100.0m by 50.0m) but the lynchets are larger (up to 2.5m in height).
Adjoining this group on the east are two cultivation terraces measuring 70.0m and 120.0m in length and 20.0m in width, with lynchets between 2.5m and 3.0m in height. Later cultivation has destroyed the lower portions of the system.

There’s also a cairn on the saddle between the southern and northern summits on the hill. It’s not scheduled, but was noted in a 1979 field report:

(SO 47779389) A round cairn situated on -east side of the saddle below the north-east slopes of Hope Bowdler Hill, at about 370.0m OD.

The cairn is 8.5m in diameter, and has a maximum height of 0.2m. Stone from the cairn has been used to construct a small circular sheep shelter 2.5m across and 0.8m high over the centre of the cairn.
On the north side of the shelter the ground between it and the rim of the cairn is clear of stone and under turf. This may be due to robbing, but the possibility of a ring cairn cannot be ignored. The rim, or band of stone on this side is 1.5m wide.

Pastscape descriptions of the IA sites:

Northern earthwork:

A small probably Iron Age settlement situated, at 250.0m above OD, upon the northern high point of the Lawley, a very steep-sided pasture and bracken-covered ridge running NE to SW. The enclosed area measures 85.0m in length, and from 12.0m at its waist to 18.0m at the ends, in width.

The site is bounded on the NW and SE by a simple scarping along the head of the steep natural slopes. At the northern end it is enclosed by a bank 5.0m wide, 0.3m high internally, with an outer ditch, 4.0m wide, 1.0m deep internally, and at the southern end, by a ditch 5.0m wide, 1.7m deep internally with an outer bank, 5.0m wide and 0.5m high. Through the centre, is a simple causewayed entrance, 2.0m in width. The banks and ditches at both ends of the enclosures, turn at either end onto the natural slopes and fade out.

There are no signs of internal occupation.

Southern earthwork:

SO 494974: An Iron Age defended settlement situated at 370.0m OD upon the highest part of The Lawley, a very steep-sides grass-covered ridge, running north-east to south-west. The enclosed area measures 150.0m by 70.0m, and is bounded on the north-west and south-east sides by a simple scarping along the head of the steep natural slopes, and presumably by the slopes themselves around the northeast end, where no certain traces of scarping could be detected. Across the ridge at the south-west end, there is a rock-cut ditch 6.0m wide, 1.0m deep, between ramparts, 6.0m wide and 0.3 to 0.9m in height. Ditch and ramparts extend some 50.0m fading out at both ends upon steepening side slopes. The entrance was probably around the southern end of the ramparts.

Towards the northern end of the site is a probable hut site upon a platform, scooped out of the south-east facing slope, which measures 11.0m by 7.0m. No other signs of occupation were found.

Marked as a “fort” on the OS and visible from the cairns on Corndon Hill, Coflein has the following description:

Roundton Hillfort is an irregular hilltop enclosure, c.160m by 100m, defined by a single bank except where it rests on precipitous slopes to the east.

Coflein has the following, brief description of cairn II, which is on the highest point of Corndon Hill:

One of six cairns upon the five summits of Corndon Hill (see Nprn306469), 30m in diameter and 1.0m high, having an OS triangulation pillar set upon it.

Canmore description, including finds:

At Stoneyfield are the remains of a Clava-type cairn. All that remains is the major part of an impressive cairn kerb, 58’ indiameter. The cairn itself and the internal structure have been removed, though when seen by Anderson (J Anderson 1831) in about 1824 the cairn seems to have been fairly complete. The stones forming the kerb are massive boulders, the largest being on the SW arc – the tallest, a leaning stone at the S end of this arc, 4’9” high – and other stones are 4’6” to 4’3” high. The stones in the NE arc are 1’9” to 2’9” high. Many stones have fallen inwards or outwards but have not been disturbed, and several have been reduced by blasting. There is no sign, nor it there any record, of monoliths which may once have surrounded the cairn.
In 1760 two stone circles were recorded at Stoneyfield. (a, b) (This feature was first published on OS 6"map as “Stone Circle”).
A S Henshall 1963; R Pococke 1887; New Statistical Account (NSA, A Rose, A Clark and R Macpherson) 1845, G Anderson 1831; J Fraser 1884; Visited by OS (W D J) 30 March 1960.

Later finds from this cairn, excavated in 1972 and 1973, included a 2nd century Roman brooch and a sherd of coarse ware.
D D A Simpson 1973, 1974.

The excavation of this cairn in 1972-3 revealed that beneath it there had been a rectangular timber building, 9.5m long with a central stone hearth, probably associated with a series of pits containing Grooved Ware. The cairn itself consisted of a heavy stone kerb with traces of
an external stone platform on the W; in the central area there was a series of pits and cists, some of them contemporary with the cairn, some later. Several of the pits contained cremations, and in one of the cists there was a Food Vessel. A Cordoned Urn with a cremation had also been deposited in the cairn. Other articles found included a cup-marked stone, a 2nd century Roman brooch, and a sherd of coarse ware.
A S Henshall 1963; D D A Simpson 1973, 1974; RCAHMS 1979.

The kerb of this cairn was re-erected at NH 6878 4508 in advance of a new road, which now occupies the original site.
Resurveyed at 1:1250.
Visited by OS 26 January 1979.

Coflein notes finds from this cairn:

A mutilated cairn, c.12.3m in diameter and 1.5m high, opened in 1850, producing a central inhumation, with charcoal and a riveted bronze dagger. Iron pieces found may have been intrusive.

Pastscape description:

A probable Early Bronze Age ring cairn containing the remains of a belvedere, Selattyn Tower, built in 1847. The cairn is circa 22 metres in diameter, comprising an unrevetted stony bank 3 metres wide and up to 0.8 metres high, enclosing a circular area 16 metres in diameter. Small scale excavation in 1998 recovered some sherds of Early Bronze Age pottery and fragments of cremated bone from the central area. During construction of the belvedere in 1847, 12 urns containing cremations were found. Selattyn Tower was built to commemorate the death of Prince Gwen, a 6th century prince who according to legend was killed in the vicinity during a battle between the British and the Saxons.

pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=66097

Canmore description:

The remains of a probably Hebridean type chambered cairn conspicuously surmounting a small rocky knoll amid rough grazing which has been cultivated at some time. It appears to be about 75’ in diameter with a maximum height of 6’ but part of this is probably natural. The surface is mostly turf-covered.
It has been greatly reduced and the original edge is difficult to define and has been completely removed round most of the east side. Six orthostats project from the cairn material and appear to be part of a chamber oriented ESE-WNW, entered from the former end. Three of the stones have obviously been reduced in height either by man or by natural fracturing and other stones may also have been reduced.

The name translates as “The Hill of the Fairies”.

Rather non-commital Canmore description of the summit cairn:

On the summit of Beinn na Caillich, the conspicuous hill rising to a height of 2403’ about 2 1/2 miles west of Broadford, is a cairn of stones measuring some 50’ in diameter. The body of the cairn measures 8’ in height, but seems to have been originally higher, as the top is surmounted by a cone of stones rising another 6’ in height, doubtless of late construction. Although local tradition says that it was erected over the grave of a Norwegian Princess, without excavation it is impossible to say if it is a prehistoric monument. Hill top cairns of large dimensions and at considerable altitudes are found in many parts of Scotland.

Canmore description of this ruined cairn, now surrounded by a housing development:

Clava-type cairn, Culduthel: ‘The cairn has been placed on a small natural rise. It is now at the edge of a patch of thin woodland. It has been so completely robbed that only a few stones of the peristalith remain in situ and a few more stones lie where they have fallen outwards form their original positions. The stones are considerable rounded boulders set on end, four of them contiguous. They vary in height from 1 foot 9 inches to 4 feet, the tallest being in the middle of the existing setting. There can be little doubt that they represent part of the south arc of a cairn kerb though they are not arranged on a true circle. On the OS 6"map of 1871 the site is marked as an almost complete circle lacking only part of the west side’.
A S Henshall 1963, visited 11 April 1957; J Fraser 1884, A Low 1929.

The remains of this cairn are described above.
Visited by OS (J L D) 22 March 1962.

NH 660 417 An evaluation was undertaken in May 2004 prior to housing development. A ring-cairn (NH64SE 26) assumed to be of the Clava type lies immediately NE of the site.
Thirteen trenches (2000m2) were stripped, equivalent to 5% of the development area. Only one archaeological feature was uncovered, at the southern end of the site. This was a pit, circular in plan and filled with a charcoal-rich deposit. It was apparently isolated and no datable finds were recovered from the fill.
Reports lodged with Highland SMR and the NMRS.

Sponsor: Tulloch Homes Ltd.

Coflein description of this summit cairn, on the northernmost peak of the Berwyns range:

A round cairn, c.28m in diameter and 1.6m high, carrying an Os triangulation pillar with windbreak, from which a Bronze Age inurned cremation was removed in the e.19th c.

The cairn has two shelters constructed on top of it out of the original cairn material. Both shelters are circular, one measures approximately 5m in diameter by up to 0.75m high, the second is 4m in diameter by up to 0.75m high. The shelters are shown as a ‘Grouse Box’ on the OS 2inch survey (1832-36). In addition it is shown on both the 1st Edition and current OS mapping.

Coflein description:

A variant stone circle located on the south side of Nant Croes-y-wernen and to the east of Cynwyd Forest. It is located on a flattened shallow rise above the stream and is raised above the wooded valley below running away to the north west. It is overlooked on the north-east, south-west and east side by surrounding hills. The surviving elements of the structure of the circle consist of four upright standing stones, relating to approximately half of the original diameter of the stone circle. The original size would have been approximately 8.5m-9m in diameter. Two of the stones survive on the eastern end of the circle and are 2.5m apart. The easternmost stone is snapped off at its base and no evidence of the top half remains. It measures 0.1m high by 0.6 wide and 0.2 thick. The next stone leans outwards at a sixty degree angle and measures 0.5m high by 0.75m wide and 0.3m thick. It is complete and has a curved top. Approximately 6 m to the north-west are the other two surviving stones which are set 3m apart. The westernmost stone stands upright to its full height of 0.6m high by 1.1m wide and 0.2m thick and has a rounded top. The eastern stone is vertical and covered in heather but may have been snapped at the top as it is flat toppped. It measures approximately 0.3m high by 1m wide and 0.15m thick. There are no further evidence of standing stones and/or cairn material. The area inside the circle is flattened and raised above the surrounding area. There is a slight external slope and a slight possible surrounding ditch.

The name given to this cairn means, appropriately enough given its watery surroundings, “Highest Ford”.

Coflein description:

A round cairn is located towards the head of the Llia valley, ground rising to the north, east and west. The cairn measures 11.5m in diameter and has a maximum height of 0.4m. The remains comprise a ring of partially turf-covered stones, about 2.5m width, sloping outwards with a ragged inner edge. The hummocky interior has a scatter of loose stones and there is a small heap of stones against the south-east side. It is probably a badly robbed round cairn though its proximity to a nearby ring feature (below) suggests the possibility that it is a ring cairn.

Survey revealed that the cairn lies in a precise geometrical relationship with a nearby standing stone (Maen Llia), a concentric embanked enclosure and (between all three) a platform
[NPRNs 84541, 84544 & 84549 respectively].

The full entry also mentions a possible circular feature adjacent to the cairn on its eastern side.

coflein.gov.uk/en/site/84539/details/RHYD+UCHAF%2C+CAIRN/

Coflein’s description has been updated (24 November 2009) and reflects the poor treatment the barrow is receiving from idiot walkers, which is still ongoing:

The cairn appears to have undergone some attrition by the time it was revisited in November 2009. It now measures 8m (N-S) by 7m and 0.3m high. The modern cairn, which lies just north of centre, is very prominent, layered in coursed stones (presumably taken from the site), but is crumbling on its north and south sides.

Actually, it turns out that the ridiculous walkers’ cairn (SN91381887) on the north summit is probably built on top of a “proper” one as well. From Coflein:

On a natural shelf on the north side of Fan Hir, overlooking Blaen Senni to the north and the Llia valley to the east, lie the remains of a probable prehistoric burial cairn. Located at around 645m it is now the site of a recently erected marker cairn, 1.8m in diameter and about 2.5m high tapering from base to tip. Beneath and around it is the stony base of an earlier cairn out of which the modern one was built. It measures 7m in diameter and no more than 0.2m high. No structural features are apparent. On OS maps the site is marked simply as ‘Cairn’ in non-antiquity typeface.

Three cairns in forestry on Bryn Llydan (“Wide Hill”). Coflein descriptions:

Carn Caglau (SN86060043)

A cairn, 9.8m in diameter and 0.4m high, showing the remains of a cist, which serves as a boundary mark.

Bryn Llydan cairn (SN86960046)

A cairn, 10m by 9.0m and 1.1m high, has been damaged by forestry ploughing and pierced by a hole recently dug into its E flank.

Carn Brynllydan (SN87560186)

Described as ‘a disturbed mass of stones’, 9.1m in diameter and 0.4m high. Possible cist elements have been reported and two modern cairns have been constructed upon it. The cairn serves as a boundary marker.

Coflein description:

The earthwork on Carn Caca is a roughly oval area, 44m by 37m, enclosed by double banks with a medial ditch. The inner bank inturns at the entrance, whilst both banks fade away across the scarp that completes the enclosure to the E. There are two possible roudhouse sites within.

There is a R*man marching camp next to the enclosure.

Ring cairn and two other cairns on Carn Caca. Coflein descriptions:

Carn Caca ring cairn (SN82240079)

An irregular ‘cairn circle’ in which c.20 slabs stand, or stood, about a roughly oval area, 11.9m by 10.7m, with traces of a slight bank, 1.5m wide and thought to be kerbed, without. The slabs’ outward lean has been taken to be an original feature, and a hollow on the E may commemorate the excavation of a damaged cist.

Carn Caca cairns (SN82340073)

Two cairns, 75m apart, upon Carn Caca: I – at SN82300073 (Ggat Prn00562W), 9.1m in diameter and 0.4m high. Several recumbent slabs lie about its circumference and a rifled cist is at its centre; II – at SN82380072 (Ggat Prn00563W), 4.0m in diameter and 0.3m high.

Two cairns on Garn Las (“The Blue Cairn”), above Nant Tarw. Coflein descriptions:

Cairn I (SN82872499)

Located on a gently sloping natural shelf on the side of a ridge. It measures 10m in diameter and 1m high on the downhill (N) side,0.5m high on the uphill side. The mound is composed of mixed grade stones consolidated with turf. The centre is marked by a shallow hollow 2m across and 0.2m deep.

Cairn II (SN82782476)

A cairn (1 of 2) located on the top of a ridge measures 18m in diameter and 0.9m high. It is composed of loose stones turfed over only around the edges. A large slab embedded in the cairn, SW of centre, possibly represents the site of a cist.

Coflein notes this is a “stone pair”, the second stone being the triangular recumbent next to the upright block:

Troed Rhiw stone pair are a monolith, measuring 1.67m high by 1.3m by 0.94m and set in a 3.0m diameter cairn; with a recumbent stone, measuring 1.7m by 0.81m by 0.4m, lying at its foot, all being set on a cultivation terrace.

There are more, possibly placed, blocks along bridleway line running westwards from here along the valley in the direction of Nant Tarw, but these are not listed on Coflein.

Putative stone circle (marked as such on OS), rather dismissed by Coflein as follows:

Site of an alleged stone circle, first noted by PM Jones and surveyed by OS in 1981.
Over the last few years repeated searching for this site for the Brecknock Inventory had failed to re-locate the stone circle. A recent search under late winter/early spring vegetation conditions was again unsuccessful at finding a setting of upright and leaning stones evoking a stone circle. Although vaguely defined on the ground, the mountain path (little more than a sheep trail), which is shown by OS as roughly bisecting the circle, was located with some confidence. Subsequently, an arrangement of stones matching the disposition shown on the OS plan was found.
The site lies on gently sloping N-facing ground in which lie scattered stones and boulders, some loose, others earthfast, protruding through the turf. A putative circle of c.21m in diameter appears to have been drawn through 17 or so of these on either side of the pathway. The largest are on the N, the smallest on the S as described. The central stone was also noted. However, the arrangement does not form a convincing stone circle given that similar stones and small boulders abound in the vicinity. The hollow just outside the SW quadrant could not be specifically identified in ground which is generally undulating and marked by peat cutting.

David Leighton, RCAHMW, May 1993

It’s a while since Mr Leighton visited. Has anyone been to look for this? More to the point, does anyone fancy going to look for it?

Coflein description:

An Iron Age hillfort, roughly oval in plan, measuring about 200m NE-SW by 150m; presently fossilised in the field boundaries encircling the summit.

Shown on the OS as a “fort”, but described by Coflein as a defended enclosure:

A complex enclosure, about 154m north-south by 94m, set on a west facing slope, defined on the west, and sub-divided internally by a series of north-south cliff-lines, resulting in two distinct enclosures, both are defined by simple banks, doubled about the southern end of the eastern, upper enclosure, each having north-facing entrances.

coflein.gov.uk/en/site/306854/details/CRAIG+ADWY+WYNT%2C+ENCLOSURE/

Five separate cairns (one of which is largely destroyed) are listed on Coflein here:

SIR WATKIN’S TOWER, CAIRN I
Grid Reference
SJ21334966

One of a pair of cairns (see also Nprn 307031), now obliterated/obscured by the ruins of Sir Watkin’s Tower.

SIR WATKIN’S TOWER, CAIRN II
Grid Reference
SJ21364965

One of a pair of cairns (see also Nprn 96523), 11m in diameter, ruinous and crowned by an OS triangulation pillar.

CRYN-Y-BRAIN, CAIRN I 
Grid Reference
SJ21074926

A ruined cairn, 12m in diameter and 0.8m high.

CRYN-Y-BRAIN, CAIRN II (D)
Grid Reference
SJ20814888

A round cairn, 20m in diameter and 1.2m high, topped by a recent cairn.

OAN field survey, located by GPS to an accuracy of +/- 1m. A large cairn stands directly to the west of the television mast compound on top of the mountain. And is marked on the current OS mapping. The cairn survives as an 8m diameter stone built cairn standing up to 1.2m high. It is constructed of medium-large sub-angular stones and has a much damaged central depression and this probable cist is about 1.2m in diameter,. There are also significant amounts of quartz faced stones within the general build of the cairn. 2002/10/17/OAN/NW

WIRELESS STATION, CAIRN II
Grid Reference
SJ20714888

OAN field survey, located by GPS to an accuracy of +/- 1m. Stone built cairn located to the west of the first cairn (NMR 269152) near the television mast compound on the top of the hill.. This cairn is placed further along the plateau next to the valley scarp descending to the west and survives in a poorer state. It is approximately 7m in diameter and up to 1m high. The cairn is more earthfast than the other cairn and is covered in heather. It is built of small-medium sized tightly packed sub-rounded and sub-angular stones with a central depression. 2002/10/17/OAN/PJS

Coflein lists two cairns here (in amongst the Aber Sychant barrows):

CEFN Y GADER CAIRN B

Grid Reference
SJ23774971

A peat covered cairn dug into on SE side – a narrow trench has been made from the circumference to the centre. On the summit is planted a oan (sic) site visit 111002 from the roadside boundary stone the cairn can clearly be seen to be rising from the surrounding landscape in the centre there is what appears to be a supplanted boundary stone. the centre are the depression appears to be a removed cist the narrow trench noted previously can be seen. to the south there are three mine shafts the closest of which cuts into the base of the cairn. the west has two large stagnant pond and a possible third which is overgrown. to the north west is a level area. the mound itself is entirely earthfast and overgrown with bracken yet still distinct in form.
Based on CPAT SMR account. No further comments as result of OAN fieldwork, 2002.

CEFN-Y-GADER, CAIRN I

Grid Reference
SJ24014923

A mutilated round cairn, 18m in diameter and 1.0m high, with central cist elements exposed.

Coflein lists a number of barrows at Aber Sychnant, as well as possible (fallen) standing stone:

LLANDEGLA PLANTATION, STANDING STONE

Grid Reference
SJ23455008

OAN field survey, located by GPS to an accuracy of +/- 1m. Standing stone located approximately 500m to the east of Llandegla plantation and about on the line of the boundary markers. The stone is recumbent, is about 1.4m long by 0.9m wide and tapered at both ends. The opposite ends of the stone have differential degrees of lichen growth with the western end having the appearance of not having being exposed for as long as the east,. This suggests that the stone was once standing, it is unclear whether the stone was a boundary marker or prehistoric in nature. 2002/10/10/OAN/NW

ABER SYCHNANT, FORD CAIRN II
Grid Reference
SJ22784985

OAN field survey, located by GPS to an accuracy of +/- 1m. Heather covered cairn located on the gently sloping valley side to the west of Aber Sychnant about 70m south of Offa’s Dyke footpath. It is approximately 7m in diameter and stands up to 0.6m high with a central depression up to 0.65m deep. The cairn could possibly have a ring around it as there is evidence of a depression to the south west. 12m to the south east is a large highly weathered squat sub-circular stone of about 1.1m diameter, this may be associated with the cairn or could just be an erratic. 2002/10/10/OAN/NW

ABER SYCHNANT FORD CAIRN
Grid Reference
SJ23695006

Situated 230 paces NW of Aber Sychnant Ford, a mutilated tumulus 14m diam. Large hole in centre and traces of a cist.
Based on CPAT SMR account. No further comments as result of OAN fieldwork, 2002.

ABER SYCHNANT, CAIRN

Grid Reference
SJ23454963

A centrally depressed round cairn, 19m in diameter and 2.1m high, opened c.1890, producing black ash, small bones, a horse tooth and a flint arrowhead.

OAN Site visit 2002/10/11/PJS. OAN field survey, located by GPS to an accuracy of +/- 1m. The site is located on the south west side of Offa’s Dyke Footpath and the base of the north side of the cairn has been truncated by it and is actively being eroded.

ABER SYCHNANT BARROW

Grid Reference
SJ24225026

Close to footpath on N side 600yds SW of the ford. A small tumulus 5m diam and 0.2m high.
Based on CPAT SMR account. No further comments as result of OAN fieldwork, 2002.

Brief Coflein description of this once-large hilltop barrow:

A cairn or barrow, c.21m in diameter and 1.1m high, with traces of a ditch, set upon the summit of Moel Gyw.

Cave in cliffs on the northern slopes of Twr Pen-cyrn, with evidence of possible paleolithic use. Info from Coflein:

Eight bones apparently associated with 2 large fragments of antler excavated from the cave by J. Ellwood in 1818. All upper palaeolithic in form and possibly indicating a settlement site. There has been some damage by cavers. Notes from an Ordnance Survey record card, 1980.

Coflein description of this cairn:

A partially grassed-over cairn 12m diameter and 1.1m high with a mutilated centre. It lies to the west of the summit of Mynydd Pen Cryn at 520 m above O.D. It measures 10.7 m in diameter and stands 1.2 m high.

Coflein description:

2.5 Metre high cairn constructed with sandstone boulders. 4 metres across at base tapering to a point. To west side of feature large amount of boulders that may have been part of base. Slight 20 cm deep depression noted around perimeter that extends slightly wider than the area covered by the base that suggests that this feature may have been bigger.

Coflein indicates that there are a confusingly large number of cairns (or possible cairns) on the summit of Twr Pen-cyrn, including the ones below. I think that many of these cairns are one and the same, duplicated and renumbered at different surveys.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn II/Hen Dy-aderyn cairn (SO20281449)

A centrally disturbed cairn, 16.5m in diameter and 1.9m high, adjoining “Hen Dy-aderyn” (Nprn306262)

Hen Dy-Aderyn (SO20281448)

The tumbled remains of a circular stone structure, 5.0m overall diameter with walls 1.0m thick, have been used as a base for an OS triangulation pillar. Adjoins cairn Nprn306261.

Hen Dy-Aderyn cairn (SO2028814497)

1. A circular foundation with an internal diameter of approximately 3m with walls 1m wide and high. The interior is occupied by a trignometrical pillar. It appears to abut the SW of a cairn and is possibly therefore a later feature. CPAT SMR, 1981

2. A cairn, with a 9m external diameter and 6m internal diameter with a OS Triginometrical point located at its centre. There is a ring of mortared stone, approximately 6m in diameter. The triangulation point is made from cast concrete indicated that is was built at a later date than the mortared stone wall. The stone wall may be the remains of a “Bird House” or game keepers look-out and this is perhaps indicated by the name Hen Dy-Aderyn or Old Bird House.
J. Winterburn, John Winterburn Archaeological Services, July 2005.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn III (SO20301447)

A cairn about 16.5m in diameter and 1.9m high with a 0.6m deep pit to the south-west of centre. Sited on the summit of Mynydd Pen y Cryn.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn IV (SO20321445)

A centrally disturbed cairn, 16m in diameter and 1.7m high.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn VI (SO20311441)

A patch of loose stones 4 m E.-W. by 3 m and 0.3 m high, which may have been a cairn.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn VII (SO2032714411)

A small, 1.6m diameter cairn on the south facing hill slope to the south of Twr Pen Cyrn.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn IX (SO2032414470)

Large cairn 13m dia. X 2.5m high. Situated at the highest point of the common. The centre has been hollowed outgiving a space 5m x 0.7 m. Around the edge of the hollow are two shelters, 2.5m dia x 0.5m deep and 3m x 2m deep; two subsidiary cairns 2m dia. X 1m high, both probably modern. On the outside of the cairn against the base is an oval shelter 3m x 2m 0.6m high.

Twr Pen Cyrn cairn XI (SO2029614505)

13m dia. X 2m high cairn, situated on the highest point of the common. The centre has been hollowed out to form a shelter 5m dia x 1m deep.

Possible stone circle, recorded as such on Coflein:

A roughly circular arrangement of stones adjacent to the cairn on the summit of Mynydd Pen Cyrn. Approximately 2m in diameter it is built from boulders of various grades and appears to be 2 to 3 boulders in height with the lower course earth-fast. It is possible that this is the feature recorded by Kay, 1952, as an avenue .

J. Winterburn, John Winterburn Archaeological Services, July 2005.

Sounds as likely to be a ring or kerb cairn.

Sizeable standing stone of indeterminate age, marked on OS 1:25000 as a Boundary Stone (BS). Info from Coflein indicates that it may well be of an early date:

1. A stone, c.2.3m high, once carrying the inscription “1844”, whilst thought to have served as a boundary mark is believed to signal the site of a chambered tomb.
(source Os495card; SO21NW4)
J.Wiles 02.09.02
2. Situated within enclosed pasture on the slopes to the east of Crickhowell, the standing stone measures 2.4m in height, 1.7m in thickness from NW to SE by 0.5m in width.
Source: Cadw scheduling description. F.Foster/RCAHMW 15.11.2005

“The Ancient Stones of Wales” by Chris Barber and John Godfrey Williams (1989 Blorenge Books) lists the stone as Great Oak Road stone.

A stone of unknown date, in Ruthin town centre. Coflein has the following:

A rough limestone block, 1.2m by 0.6m by 0.6m, (formerly) set behind railings outside Barclays Bank (nprn 26779) on the west side of St Peter’s Square, recorded as being set in the middle of the street in 1699. A tablet reads “Maen Huail. On which tradition states, King Arthur beheaded Huail, brother of Gildas the historian.” (Source OS 495 card; SJ15NW8). Possibly a market or civic stone, or a preaching stone.

coflein.gov.uk/en/site/306840/details/MAEN+HUAIL%2C+ST+PETER%27S+SQUARE%2C+RUTHIN/

Added here as age is impossible to determine and it has a nice folkloric association.

Listed in “The Ancient Stones of Wales” by Chris Barber and John Godfrey Williams (1989 Blorenge Books), which has a picture and adds that it was “removed from its original site to make room for a car park (SJ125584)“.

This whole area seems to be covered in cairns and small standing stones that are not marked on the O/S 1:25000. This is one that I wasn’t even aware of until seeing it on Coflein.

Fulsome Coflein description as follows:

A possible standing stone, 0.9m high by 0.8m by 0.7m.

coflein.gov.uk/en/site/305817/details/FFRWD+STONE/

Extract from “Old Stones of the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean” by D.P. Sullivan (1999 Reardon Publishing):

A description of this natural rock was mentioned by Louis Jennings in Field and Green Lanes in 1878:

“In the south-east, that curious rocking stone, the Buckstone, can be discerned, and there is a path from the Kymin to it, chiefly through woods or across fields. The site of the Buckstone is marked by a small flagstaff, a stone weighing hundreds of tons, yet poised upon a piece of rock scarcely two feet broad, like a huge top standing upon its peg. The hill runds down a thousand feet sheer below it, and the stone inclines over at an acute angle, and can be rocked by a strong man. An old fellow, whom I overtook on the common, told me that a frolicsome youth of Staunton had one night come up here armed with picks and crowbars, but could not move it. ‘It is considered’, this old man said to me, ‘as it was washed there when the world was drownded’.”

.....

It was at one time believed to have been a rocking or ‘logan’ stone, ‘placed in its present position by Druidical agency’, and that it was possible, with apparent ease, to push the massive boulder to and fro on its point. The continuing onslaught of the elements, which fashioned this curiosity out of the softer surrounding strata, eventually wore away at the pivot preventing further rocking of the Buckstone. Various attempts, over the years, to get the stone to move resulted in its being dislodged in 1885. It toppled over, breaking into several pieces. Local worthies set about restoring the Buckstone and it was reconstituted and set back on its pivot by the insertion of a steel reinforcing rod. Further movement of the stone has been permanently arrested.

The mystery of the vanishing hut circles. From Canmore:

There is a row of six hut circles, varying in diameter from 16’-25’, and occupying a space just under 50 yards in length, on the second highest of the Dasses.
Stevenson (1949) also notes another hut circle, 25’-30’ in diameter, at the head of the lowest of the Dasses.
R B K Stevenson 1949; RCAHMS 1951.

A row of six hut circles with annexes, generally as described in previous information. The hut noted by Stevenson could not be located.
Visited by OS (S F S) 8 December 1975.

There is nothing to suggest the presence of a row of six hut-circles at this location. All that can now be seen are scatters of tumbled stones and boulders, some of which are earthfast.
Visited by RCAHMS (ARG), 15 December 1998
NMRS, MS/726/96 (37-8, no. 12); RCAHMS 1999.

Detailed description from Scotlands Places:

A circular earthwork SE of the guardianship enclosure, which is currently recorded as a ‘hut circle’, was examined by small- scale excavation and proved to be the remains of a ring-cairn. Four of the outer kerb stones still survived, together with a broad bank of rubble. It seems likely that the monument was constructed in two phases. The first involved the construction of the cairn from surface boulders. In a later phase the interior was excavated and soil was piled against the outer kerb of the monument. This material included a small amount of cremated bone and contained a number of sandstone slabs – a feature which was also recognised in the ring-cairn within the guardianship enclosure.
Sponsors: Historic Scotland and Reading University with assistance from Highland Archaeology Service.
R Bradley 1996

scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=14259

Description from Scotlands Places:

A Clava cairn, greatly robbed though the greater part of the kerb still exists, outside which is a considerable bank of cairn material.
Within the centre are five stones, apparently earth-fast, but some probable monoliths are situated at similar distances (ie. 16’) from the kerb on the N and NE sides.

scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/search_item/index.php?service=RCAHMS&id=15443

Description from Scotlands Places:

Two standing stones situated in a flat cultivated field with no evidence of associated structure. The E stone measures 2.3m high x 0.7 x 0.5m, the W 0.9m high x 1.1m x 0.4m.
Re-surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (N K B) 16 September 1966.

Coflein description:

A mound, c.20m by 16m, is depicted on Os Landline. Controversy attends alledged finds of a bronze knife/dagger and “mugs” from a barrow in this vicinity.

Description from Coflein:

A 17m overall diameter circle of earth and stones upon a rocky knoll, formed by a bank 4.0m wide to the N, elsewhere by scarps. Stones are said to have been brought here ‘for luck’ and a 4.0m diameter stony area surrounds the Os triangulation pillar within.

Stone associated with nearby circle. Coflein description:

A locally prominent stone, 6’ by 4’ by 2’6”, thought likely to have once been erect. Associated with stone circle (Nprn305814), c.125m to the E.

Coflein locations/descriptions of three cairns on Gilwern Hill:

Gilwern Hill I (SO09305870)

A cairn, 14m by 15.5m and 0.9m high, with a central depression.

Gilwern Hill II (SO09855909)

A cairn, 18m in diameter and 1.6m high, crowned by a recent cairn.

Gilwern Hill III (SO09845910)

A possible trenched cairn, 7.5m in diameter and 0.5m high, set immediately NW of a larger cairn.

Two enclosures on rocky ridge, Coflein descriptions:

Western enclosure

An elongated, subrectangular enclosure, c.460m NE-SW by 70-180m, tapering to the SW, formed by discontinuous stretches of bank/rampart, running between outcrops, along and between two irregular, rocky NE-SW ridges, so that the enclosure features a central valley as well as the ridge tops: an entrance, with a projecting rampart terminal, is apparent towards the NW of the SW end of the enclosure which here has noticably angular angles.
A less extensive, but more strongly defined enclosure (Nprn306144) lies athwart a further ridge, c.100m to the E.

Eastern enclosure

The irregular, elongated enclosure at Llandegley Rocks measures c.180m by 46m, and is laid out along a ridge, resting on cliffs to the south-east and south-west – where it is mutilated by quarrying, and defined elsewhere by possibly multiple banks. A north-east facing scarp cuts the enclosure in two.

A much larger, less strongly defined enclosure (Nprn400368) lies c.100m to the west.

Stone built prehistoric enclosure below the slopes of Cefn yr Ystrad. Coflein description:

Small sub-rectangular enclosure, 7 x 8m with stone built banks up to 1m high, including boulders. No obvious entrance. In the centre is a sink-hole or cave opening. Located at the bottom of a steep hill, with many boulders on the ground.