GLADMAN

Mid Wales is full of hidden gems waiting to be discovered by the curious traveller prepared to do a touch of homework before venturing forth... Yeah, I know, you’re right... homework is not exactly The Citizen Cairn’s forte, either... however when intriguing reminders of who we once were are not even noted upon OS mapping, one has to bite the bullet, so to speak. Or miss out upon some real treasures.

The small, unassuming grouping of Bronze Age cairns crowning the southern flank of Craig y Lluest, the rocky eminence overlooking the head of Cwm Ystwyth – and in cahoots with Esgair Elan, forming the jaws of a forbidding entrance ‘portal’ to the valley – is very much a case in point. Simply put, one would have no idea it was here at all from a perusal of the map... certainly not from the roadside below.

OK, none of the cairns located up here is anywhere near the scale of the superb monument gracing Glan Fedwen to the immediate east; nor even those crowning Cistfaen overlooking the Afon Ystwyth’s birthplace. And yet... venture a little further to the west and the visitor is accorded – in my long experience – one of the finest views Mid Wales has to offer. Worth a look.

Located above the Afon Bran, a little way south of Cynghordy, this obscure defensive enclosure appeared – from a quick perusal of the map – to represent the remains of a promontory fort. However, upon arrival, it became apparent that there is more here than initially meets the eye....

Yeah, sure enough, the visitor is confronted by powerful banks covering the northern aspect, these curving around to the west. However, this is no highly defensive promontory, meaning additional earthworks – not immediately apparent – would have been required to the southwest.

Consequently, The Citizen Cairn went walkabout to discover what appeared to be the remains of said southern defences some way downhill. Now whether what I found are actually of prehistoric origin is perhaps open to interpretation.. just saying I believe such a conclusion is supported by the evidence on the ground. See what you think? Whatever, it is a wondrous, tranquil spot to hang out for a while, the northern earthworks more than enough for any interested punter.

Incidentally, the map indicates an additional, smaller enclosure some way to the north. I did not visit – since I was intent upon an audience with the Tri Chrugiau (upon Mynydd Epynt) during a break in the Army firing schedule – but worth a look, too?

Located within the obscure Mid Walian uplands between Beulah and Abergwesyn, this overgrown Bronze Age round cairn takes a bit of finding... however, the vibe to be enjoyed within its forestry clearing is pretty special. Worth the effort. I arrived during the calm following an intense night of torrential thunderstorms spent within the Irfon Pass.... sunshine illuminating the webs of grass-dwelling spiders adding a somewhat surreal visual aesthetic to the cairn’s locale.

Furthermore, the enigmatic (apparent) ring cairn of Pen Twr is spectacularly sited a little over a mile due east, sweeping views contrasting with the intense myopia of Banc Paderau. Combining a visit to both, based upon Ty’n-y-cwm farm, makes for a satisfying walk of two complementary halves. What’s not to like?

One of the curious things about scanning OS maps for antiquarian stuff is that – like Forrest Gump’s mum’s ‘box of chocolates’ – very often you don’t know what you’re gonna get. Such is the case with Darren Camp, a first-rate prehistoric fortress rising to the south of the hamlet of Pen-bont Rhydybeddau, some distance west of Pumlumon. Appearing somewhat insignificant upon the 1:50k variety, the site never seemed to rise to the top of the ‘list’, so to speak. That is... until a  chance viewing of an aerial image made clear the error of my assumption. Ah, assumptions, don’t you just love ‘em?

Yeah, although univallate, the fort is fabulously sited, with correspondingly top-class views to all points of the compass. Furthermore, although somewhat confused by the presence of a former open cast ‘silver-lead mine’, the western approach is additionally protected by quadruple outworks. Oh, and the summit of the hilltop, within the ramparts, is crowned by at least one Bronze Age cairn.... which the inhabitants clearly saw no need to remove. Or maybe even erected themselves, seeing as a  ‘small cordoned pot sherd’ discovered here during a limited 1996 excavation by the wondrous Mr Toby Driver apparently has ‘Late Bronze Age parallels’? Intriguing,.

Set upon the mountain road between Abergwesyn to Tregaron, Esgair Gerwyn is apparently the location of a small Bronze Age cairn cemetery. I say ‘apparently’ since I was unable to categorically pinpoint the remaining archaeology to the same degree as during previous visits... which even then were far from conclusive. Yeah, sadly it would seem that (relatively) recent road improvements have taken their toll upon what must once have been a fabulously located grouping of monuments.

Motorists struggling up the gradient may well be tempted to pause a while within the viewpoint, looking south to follow the serpentine course of the Nant y Gerwyn as it joins the Afon Tywi to flow towards Llyn Brianne. The Dolgoch Youth Hostel can be found in the valley below, although I haven’t had the pleasure... having always wild-camped. One thing’s for certain: can’t argue with the location, right?

As those familiar with the Welsh vernacular will already have guessed, the Tri Chrugiau are a group of three large, earthen round barrows, in this instance gracing the Mid Walian uplands of Mynydd Epynt. Located a little to the northeast of the 1,560ft summit of said mountain, each monument is still in the region of 6 – 8ft high; consequently, a visit would appear a ‘no-brainer’ for any Citizen Cairn. There is, however, a pretty sizeable catch. Please take heed....

During those dark, dark days of 1940 – with murderous psycho-loon Adolf Hitler poised across The Channel after overrunning Europe with his automaton Fascist goons – the locale of Mynydd Epynt was occupied by the MOD for Army training purposes, with all inhabitants forcibly evicted, albeit supposedly only for the duration. Desperate times call for desperate measures etc, so no argument there. Trouble is, the Army never gave the land back and is thus still utilising the mountain as an artillery/small arms range, thus limiting access to the archaeological punter big time. It is what it is.

OK, I’m not about to engage in the trendy ‘army bashing’ so prevalent among the chattering classes nowadays. No, what with the likes of Putin’s Communists doing what states governed by extremist ideologues have always done by murdering civilians – this time in Ukraine – clearly, the need for our Armed Forces is as great as ever... and the UK’s soldiers need to be trained somewhere, right? Furthermore, the general public can be as stupid as stupid can be, endangering themselves and others in the process... so one can sympathise with the military viewpoint. However, a little better organisation on behalf of SENTA wouldn’t go amiss....

As it happens The Citizen Cairn, for once, did his homework and checked out the SENTA firing times upon their web-page (see link) to make sure I wasn’t going to be a part of the problem. Job done, or so I thought. So you can imagine my confusion when, upon approaching from the west along a bridleway from Cynala, I’m greeted by a red warning flag where no red flag should be. The confusion is heightened upon calling the stated number (0187 4635599) to ascertain that the red flag here is apparently “always flying”... (not those damn, murderous Commies again?) You what? Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: so what is the point of the OS depicting a public right of way upon their maps and, furthermore, SENTA publishing firing times if the Army can’t be bothered to adhere to its own procedures? The jolly, bewildered chap on the other end of the line – bless him – had no idea, to be frank... of the topography of the range, of where the Tri Chrugiau are located... why anyone would want to visit ... or much else for that matter, simply repeating Major someone or other would not be pleased if I ventured forth without ‘permission’. So you’re saying I need ‘permission’ to venture upon a public bridleway to Tri Chrugiau having received confirmation that no firing is scheduled? Nonsense. Absurd, obviously, so I assumed I was fine to proceed and extra map reading lessons should be within the local Army curriculum?

The monuments themselves were well worth the hassle, to be fair, so I would encourage everyone to visit. Just please MAKE SURE YOU CHECK FIRING TIMES BEFORE MAKING THE TRIP AND DOUBLE-CHECK WITH THE HELPLINE SHOULD THE RED FLAG STILL BE FLYING. The Army have a difficult job and clearly need upstanding Citizens Cairn to make allowances for any military muppetry and not add to their problems. Who knows, it might even prompt a little more reciprocation?

Located upon the high ground between the Afon Pysgotwr Fawr and Doethie Fawr, this obscure round barrow/cairn(?) is not shown upon current OS mapping and is not to be confused with the much larger Carn Penrhiwllwydog just under half a mile uphill to the east. Combining a visit to both sites, along with a sojourn at the stone circle upon nearby Bryn y Gorlan, would make for an intriguingly satisfying day in unfamiliar surroundings.

Yeah, obscure is the appropriate adjective for this one, The Citizen Cairn walking right past before sussing what was what. As with many a Bronze Age funerary site, just who got to be buried here... what ‘position in society’ so to speak... and who was reserved for the larger, higher monument is something we can assume, I guess. But will never have a definitive answer.

As it was, I had a few hours to make use of before striking camp ready for an early start to search out that elusive Bryn y Gorlan ‘circle the next day... so what better place to hang out than here, with far-reaching views southwards towards the summits of Y Mynydd Du?

Dyfed Archaeological Trust reckon:

“When visited as part of the PFRS project in 2004 the site was found to be a circular mound, 12m in diameter and 0.75m high, located on a break of slope just below the top of a hill.” [Cook, N. , 2006 , Prehistoric Funerary & Ritual Sites Project Ceredigion 2004-2006]

Set amongst the glorious scenery of eastern Mynydd Epynt... away from all the (unfortunately, what with Communist lunatics murdering civilians for fun in Ukraine, all too necessary) squaddie training business... south of Builth Wells, this mutilated round cairn might well draw no attention at all from those passing by upon the very minor road... even from the antiquarian-minded lacking a 1:25k OS map. Combine a visit here with the even more obscure Banc y Celyn stone circle to the north, however, and you’re laughing.

Yeah, the scenery is superb, the backdrop of The Black Mountains, viewed in profile while approaching across the hilltop to the northwest, being arguably the finest The Citizen Cairn is aware of. That of The Brecon Beacons, enjoyed by diverting the gaze a tad to the south, is worth writing home about, too. If only one still did those things.

As for the monument... OK, it is very ‘messed about with’. Nevertheless, several orthostats strongly suggest a ‘chambered cairn’ of some description to me. Coflein notes:

“A much disturbed round barrow with stone structural elements.... approximately 10m in diameter and up to 0.5m high..... Three edge-set stones are visible and appear to be part of a structure within the cairn... To the south of the barrow there is a large edge-set slab 1.05 x 0.15 x 0.6m high, aligned northeast-southwest...” [J.J. Hall, Trysor, 16/2/2009]

As it was, I happened to be in the locale for ‘logistical reasons’, but was more than happy to reprise my original 2016 visit and take advantage of the fabulous summer evening light to hang out for a while.

Fantastic site, this.... in a fantastic location, too. Just too far ‘down the slope’ to visit following an audience with the Hafen stones/Drum Ddu cairns a couple of years back, I congratulate myself upon my untypical restraint back then. Yeah, you’ll want to devote a fair bit of time to this one, such is the form and vibe.

I approached in a rather, er, roundabout way, starting from road’s end below Gors-wen, at the head of the beautiful Cwm Chwefri, subsequently arcing to the right around the trees north of Little Pudding Cottage, prior to heading uphill above the eastern bank of the Nant Hafen. Pretty rough going through high fern... but there you are. It’s well worth a detour in order to make the final approach from above and to the northeast to enjoy as splendid a view of a cairn as I’ve had the pleasure in a long time.

The first thing to strike the blissed-out traveller is “wow, this is a big one” .... some 60ft in diameter, in fact. OK, some fool might’ve taken a chunk out of it at some point, but nevertheless (in my experience) relatively intact... Needless to say, the Coflein description doesn’t begin to do the site justice. Or convey much at all really:

“A cairn, 18.3m in diameter and 0.9m high, much disturbed.” [J.Wiles 23.04.02]

The cairn is seemingly positioned by those who took such great trouble to fashion such a massive stone pile here millennia ago so Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du just grace the southern horizon... incidentally in a manner very similar to the not-so-distant Saith Maen stone row. As I hang out in the sun, Gorllwyn, with its cairn cemetery and massive prostrate monolith, graces the western aspect... and the thought occurs: isn’t it about time I re-visited that brutally wild summit? Oh dear, here we go again. You know those moments when you can curse your grey matter for coming up with such hair-brained schemes? Tell me about it.

Briefly stopping off for a shufty following a full day spent checking out Craig Twrch’s numerous cairns, I have to admit to being somewhat baffled here. The archaeologists at RCAHMW reckon the site represents the remains of a Roman signal station, sitting as it does beside Sarn Helen..... a Roman Road. However, for balance, this view has to be contrasted with CADW’s official scheduling (CD156) which states the following:

“The monument comprises the remains of a circular earthwork, which probably dates to the Bronze Age (c. 2300 – 800 BC). It stands on a prominent saddle in the hills with a wide panorama to the south and north-west, alongside Sarn Helen, the preserved line of the Roman road. It consists of an inner mound of c.14m diameter, standing up to 1.4m high, the central area of which is dished, lying c. 0.3m below its rim, except in the centre where an area has been dug away and later fires built, and on the southern side where a massive boulder c.3.6m long resting on its long side lies in a deep hollow. The inner mound is surrounded by a ditch c.1m wide and c.0.5m deep with traces of a slight counterscarp bank outside it. Opposite the boulder the ditch is discontinuous for a distance of c.3.5m, giving the impression of a causeway which has five smaller boulders on its western side. The origin of the site seems to be as prehistoric funerary monument consisting of features of a round barrow and recumbent stone circle. The large boulder may have originally been upright. It has also been suggested that the site was re-used as a Roman signal station.”

Now, while I’ve no wish (no, really) to be thought of as biased against the bloody Romans (and, let’s face it... of all the things they did for us, building signal stations probably wasn’t the most inspiring), perhaps the ‘recycling angle’ might fit best here, bearing in mind the wealth of ‘metaphysical’ lore associated with Carreg y Bwci... aka ‘The Goblin’s Stone’? The name presumably a reference to the large recumbent ‘boulder’ which sits upon/within the mound, it’s hard to imagine the perfunctory actions of legionnaires who probably died of boredom – or hypothermia – two millennia or so ago putting the wind up a passing traveller to the same degree as lingering folk memories of burial rights/rituals made manifest in the apparent antics of a mythical Welsh supernatural creature? Or is it just me?

This heavily overgrown hillfort is located within Coed y Neuadd, its rocky site towering over the course of the Afon Rheidol as it winds a serpentine course towards Aberystwyth from its cradle in the bosom of Pen Pumlumon Fawr.

Indeed, the site is so overgrown I initially assumed the ‘knoll’ to the immediate east was where I wanted to be.... However, once the radar’s attuned, the fact that ‘things really are not making sense’ usually saves the day. Usually. And Tan-y-Ffordd is well worth the effort of finding, proving to be a powerful hillfort, making full use of the dramatic natural slopes to the south. Now any medieval-heads out there may well find themselves aghast at the fact that the site is completely overlooked by high ground to the north... and would’ve been a doddle to take in any siege situation... but, of course, that wasn’t a consideration back then. Let’s face it, you wouldn’t have wanted to try and storm it with your war party.... unless you were some lunatic nutter like Putin.

The most powerful artificial defences naturally face the ‘path of least resistance’ and loom above the track upon which one still approaches, this presumably a pretty established short-cut over the millennia accessing the valley bottom from the direction of Cwmbrwyno? The main entrance appeared to be to the west, with an impressive rocky ditch to the east

I approached along said track starting at the farm of Pen-rhiwlan, the walk also affording the opportunity to visit a nice round barrow at SN705800, not to mention boasting some pretty cool views of Cwm Rheidol.

As with its neighbour surmounting Bryn Mawr, the cairn crowning the summit crags of Craig Twrch has been substantially messed about with by fools with no regard for who they are... where they are from... and, presumably, where they are going. However, unlike Bryn Mawr’s poor monument, the great circular footprint can still be readily discerned here.

Furthermore, the enclosure and particularly large marker cairn created from the stone pile (arguably) do possess a kinda dodgy charm. The positioning is excellent, the monument perched upon – and encroaching upon the edge of – impressive rocky crags, this reminding the impressed visit somewhat of, say, a Dartmoor ‘tor cairn’?

The monument overlooks a number of other, smaller cairns, like Mother Hen watching over her brood. One, however, located just off the main path beyond the fence line to the south, is quite unexpectedly probably the finest – after Carn Fawr, obviously – upon the whole ridge, bearing the well preserved remains of a cist.

A more or less trashed summit cairn stands in stark contrast to the magnificent Carn Fawr just a third of a mile to the Northeast, a large rectangular drystone enclosure having obviously consumed much of the former structure. Nevertheless, Bryn Mawr is a great viewpoint, has clear prehistoric pedigree and, as part of a far-ranging funerary landscape encompassing some two miles, well worth a visit.

Coflein reckons:

“A much disturbed Bronze Age cairn. It has undoubtedly been robbed for stone to build the nearby sheep fold .... It is impossible to determine how large the cairn was originally, and now only a strip of cairn material survives, 8 metres long by 2 metres wide and up to 0.60 metres high.” [R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 28/3/2013]

Two Bronze Age cairns still reside upon Esgair Fraith, the south-western terminus of what (for convenience sake) I’ll term Craig Twrch, in deepest Mid Wales. Having missed out on an audience last year due to a cloud base seemingly down to my ankles – or at least it appeared that way – I duly return this year... and was not disappointed.

The southern of the two appears the larger nowadays, owing to a modern ‘marker’ cairn surmounting the prehistoric base; however, I reckoned its neighbour, although lower in profile, possessed more detail: the remains of a kerb, perhaps? Hey, or even that of a cist?

What was not in any doubt was the fabulous views to be enjoyed... looking out across the enigmatic Carreg y Bwci (now what is THAT all about?) or, upon swinging around, to the north-east to gaze along Craig Twrch itself. Plenty more cairns a mile or so that-a-way, should one be curious enough and fancy going walkabout. As it happened, I did.

Coflein reckons:

Southern: “A large summit cairn, measuring 12 metres in diameter and still up to 0.40 metres high, although a modern marker cairn has been built with cairn stones on top of the monument. There is some evidence of a kerb... A possible cist, measuring 0.70 metres square, lies just to the south of its centre.”

Northern: “A stone cairn, measuring 10 metres in diameter by up to 0.40 metres high. There is some evidence of a kerb and also a possible central cist appears to be exposed” [both R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 26/3/2013]

The last of a quartet of cairns featuring upon my ‘visit wish list’ to this obscure upland wilderness between Teifi Pools and Cwm Ystwyth (the others having been Carn-y-Rhyrddod; Llan Ddu Fawr and Bryn Dafydd) this is another deceptively substantial monument, its obvious prehistoric foundation apparently dismissed by most – although to be fair the latest 1:25k mapping does depict the cairn in antiquarian typeface – owing to a large parasitical shelter augmenting an otherwise very low profile. It has to be noted that to not look at where one is treading is such an elementary error – and not a very good idea at all when walking rough terrain such as this – the significant circular footprint about as blatant a clue as a Citizen Cairn could wish for.

I approach via the minor road accessing the aforementioned Teifi Pools from Ffair-Rhos, a VERY rough (just about driveable) track/road branching northward near Tynfron farm to terminate within forestry beneath Llethr Brith (the latter possessing another cairn well worth seeking out). On foot now, the track meanders in a northeastern direction to eventually access Blaen-Marchnant. I circled across very boggy ground to the right in order to ascend the hillside beyond... in retrospect there are probably better routes.

The cairn is a great vantage point, Pumlumon naturally a prime focus. However, as with its companion monuments upon neighbouring tops, it is the sheer vibe here that impresses above all else. It would seem there are the remains of other monuments upon this hill top? To these eyes nothing was clear... however, I believe I possibly located one such overgrown monument downhill to the south(ish)....

Although located a little under a mile to the approx NNW of Pen y Corn’s twin cairns to the south-east of Llanddewi Brefi, extensive intervening forestry ensures a visit to the prosaically-named Garn upon Banciau Duon is no simple extension, instead requiring an expedition in its own right.

The 1:25k map suggested a reasonably straightforward – if tedious – stomp across Bryn-y-rhyd to the southwest to bring one within striking distance. To be fair, this is how things turned out.... it was just the final ‘getting to the summit’ bit that proved to be a problem. A major, major problem at that, owing to perhaps the most dense forestry I’ve seen in many a year offering not a hint of a way through. The Citizen Cairn, therefore, attempted to circle around from the northeast via the Banciau Duon themselves... which, in retrospect is probably the best option. Needless to say, I retreated and ended up somehow wriggling a way through from the south.

The summit clearing – a long time a’ coming – was worth the effort however.... the cairn, although disturbed through the imposition of a ‘shelter’/enclosure sometime during the past (presumably not by walkers?), still significant, some 41ft in diameter, in fact. I even reckon the cairn displayed possible traces of a kerb-like structure? Furthermore, isolated within it’s own Lost World, the vibe was truly incredible to behold, the ground covered by some of the thickest moss I’ve ever encountered. Anywhere. So copious, in fact, I would have sworn the laws of gravity had been suspended if I didn’t know better, such was the ‘spring’ in the blissed-out traveller’s step. But there you are. Not so much ‘Walking on the Moon’..... rather bouncing around on, well, a bouncy castle, I guess? Hey, ‘Walking like a Goon’?

All good things must end, however, and, loathe to endure more twig-induced punishment, I head north-eastward, thankfully managing to locate a somewhat easier route down. Well, sort of. Not that it was at all evident from ground level.

Incidentally, the professionals at Coflein have the following to say:

“A circular cairn, 12.5m in diameter & 0.6m high, having a drystone shelter, 3.0m in diameter, set NW of its centre, with a collapsed drystone-walled fold, 7.0m by 5.0m, set along its NE side.” [J.Wiles 21.07.04]

Saith Maen translates as ‘Seven Stones’ in English... which may or may not be true since the very disturbed nature of the terrain underfoot – possibly a combination of bovine action and dodgy ‘excavation’ (for some reason the trenches were not back-filled) – ensuring my arithmetic is even less precise than usual. The disintegrating, not to mention mostly collapsed, ‘protective’ wooden enclosure surrounding the site also does it no favours.

Nevertheless, ‘a number’ of stones can still be found here still in position among quite a few others, suggesting the possibility of former multiple rows? Whatever, the location is excellent, overlooked by the bleak mass of Gorllwyn some two miles to WSW, Y Gamriw to NW and the enigmatic Hafen stone setting to east. In short, there is a surfeit of prehistory in the locale. Just check the map.

As I sit and take it all in two things become apparent: 1) I really must re-visit Gorllwyn some day before it becomes physically beyond me; 2) is it me, or is the rather idiosyncratic location of this stone row governed by the fact that Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du feature perfectly up the skyline. Coincidence? Well, no doubt some muppet or other will insist Google Earth (or whatever) shows no such thing. My view is: “Come and see for yourself” since, funnily enough, prehistoric people didn’t have access to satellite imagery. As far as I’m aware.

Cwm Ystwyth is not exactly ‘Piccadilly Circus’, to be fair.... those outlanders who are out and about seemingly just a’ passing through. As tourists do. One reason for this, perhaps, is that, despite being home to the nascent Afon Ystwyth, the scenery is not all Mid-Walian sublimity, the scars devastating Bryn Copa upon the valley’s northern flank evidence of successive copper mining enterprises stretching right back to Bronze Age times. Yeah, this is a ‘working valley’, always has been. It was here that the magnificent Banc Tynddol ‘sun-disc’, now within the Museum of Wales, was discovered in 2002. Perhaps upon a day like today?

To the south of the small hamlet of Cwmystwyth, rising to as near as dammit 2,000ft, are a group of green hills forming a secret wilderness rarely trodden nowadays – to gauge by The Citizen Cairn’s experiences – with even the local farmers relying upon the ubiquitous quad bike to get around. Lethal in mist, the rewards for the antiquarian-minded are not obvious from OS mapping, with only the prehistoric cairn of Canryrhyrddod (ironically arguably the least upstanding) cited upon the latest 1:50k version. Bryn Dafydd’s summit cairn (1,873 ft) is assumed to be modern... suffice to say, in my opinion, it is most certainly NOT.

I approached from the north, limited verge parking available (for the considerate) upon the very minor road accessing Cwm Ffald. Follow said road as it crosses the wondrous Afon Ystwyth to pick up a public footpath accessing the open hillside above. When it is eventually attained, following quite an uphill slog, Bryn Dafydd’s summit possesses everything I look for nowadays: fantastic upland vibe, great views, ancient cairn with substantial underlying circular Bronze Age footprint – as usual, ignore the parasitical modern marker – plus that indefinable ‘something else’....

Coflein reckon:

“A large Bronze Age cairn, which is now a very low stone spread, about 12 metres in diameter. A large marker cairn, NPRN 522211, has been built on the site, using material from the funerary cairn.” [R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 22/3/2012]

I gaze across to Trawsallt – about a mile distant and clocked a couple of years back – and make a mental note.

Subsumed within bloody forestry a couple of miles south-east of Abergwesyn, the mass of stonework surmounting Pen y Garn-goch was once thought (by W. F. Grimes) to have been a Severn-Cotswolds variant chambered cairn... but now generally accepted as three co-joined summit cairns. This is splitting hairs, perhaps, since whatever the original configuration may have been, the impression nowadays is of a pretty impressive long cairn set within a ‘lost world’ clearing that might have even freaked out Conan Doyle.

Now I had planned to approach from the north, via the public track from Bwlchmawr – however, the occupant of said farm advised me to instead follow the road towards Pistyllgwyn and ascend via the obvious forestry track. In retrospect, I wish I’d stuck to Plan A, so to speak, the seemingly interminable plod not what the doctor ordered in the baking heat of June. Nevertheless, the ‘three-into-one’ stone pile is well worth whatever effort must be expended to reach it, the exquisite vibe reminiscent of a Scottish site and helping to dissipate the ‘what ifs’ that inevitably arise when sight lines are curtailed by trees.

Of the three cairns, the central would appear the best preserved, both its neighbours having been defaced by the usual muppet shelter, the whole clad by that weird gray(ish) moss one sometimes finds covering stone within woodland clearings.

So yes... great vibe (check), great archaeology (check), no midges (check), no rain (check). And almost the place to myself. Having said that, my only visitors during four or so hours hanging out in the pitiless, concentrated glare of the sun (yeah I know... in Mid Wales?) were two local trail bikers who – quite unexpectedly – were actually friendly, decent blokes for once and, furthermore, more than happy to learn the prehistoric foundation of their local hill. Imagine Vin Diesel swopping his Dodge (or whatever) for bike and discussing Bronze Age burial rituals? Surreal, but everyone’s a winner.

Moel y Ci – “Dog Hill” – is a north-western outlier of Y Glyderau, rising to 1,345ft and boasting panoramic vistas across The Menai Straight to Anglesey... as well as – looking the other way – the mountainous heartland of Central Snowdonia. All in all, well worth the short, sharp ascent undertaken from Rhiwlas, set below to the west. Hey, there’s even an apparent Romano-British hut circle to be seen on the way.

However if one is of the ‘Antiquarian persuasion’..... the presence of a massive Bronze Age round cairn (Carnedd Moel y Ci) complete with cist/possible kerbing still in situ, makes a visit a real ‘no-brainer’. Not that the traveller won’t have to use his/her brain rather a lot to take in the excellent upland vibe to be enjoyed here... but you know what I mean.

Cwm Moch can be found at more-or-less the northern tip of the northern Rhinogydd, arguably among the most brutal, testing walking country in the whole of Wales.

The cairn depicted upon the map – although by no means a large, nor impressive monument – occupies a fine spot within the landscape. Indeed, the placement is just what the doctor ordered, frowning crags beckoning the more adventurous ever upward, Llyn Trawsfynyyd resplendent to the east. Structurally-speaking I was in two minds about this one. Marker cairn... or later material upon an original base?

It would appear there are apparently more cairns in the immediate vicinity not shown upon OS mapping? However, having been one of those drawn further up into the hills, I was happy with ‘just’ this one.

It’s amazing what you might find roadside in Snowdonia. No really, it is.

Take the ethereal remains of the prehistoric settlement near Cefn Clawdd, not far from Llyn Trawsfyndd. Sure, no doubt the structure has been adapted over the course of millennia to serve the changing requirements of successive farmers? But nevertheless....

Indeed, while wandering around the site in the soft early evening light, I pondered that the odds might be pretty short that the erectors of the fine Bronze Age cairn some way to the northwest (SH68383416) may well have lived here back in the day? That the head of the village ended up within the cist within the cairn?

Just a little way from the road and obvious parking spot for the cairn (unseen from here), bonus site!

I was not aware of the potential significance of the little stone enclosure crowning Gau Graig – north-eastern bastion of the wondrous Cadair Idris – at the time of my ascent from Bwlch Llyn Bach some 20 years ago. However, a full frontal view while chillin’ out upon Waun-oer during Easter 2022 prompted me to ask the question: well, just what IS it doing there?

Funnily enough, Toby Driver [RCAHMW, 2016] has been having similar aerial thoughts, albeit not from terra firma. According to Coflein the feature is:

“An elongated oval stone enclosure, measuring 36m x 16m and aligned NW/SE... Unusually the north-west part... takes in a steep slope, while the exposed position... makes it unlikely that it performed a mundane agricultural function like a sheepfold. The walls enclose a small cairn or outcropping rock suggesting a prehistoric date would not be unlikely.”

I concur... I mean, I know the Welsh Mountain sheep is a pretty sturdy breed, right? But suicidal?

Y Garnedd means ‘The Cairn’ in Welsh... which is perhaps not that surprising since this c1,811ft peak, rising above Llyn Morwynion (Lake of The Maidens), is crowned by a massive Bronze Age monument of the ‘ring cairn’ variety.

Suffice to say, the mountain has ‘form’ since Llyn Morwynion, while not specifically namechecked, nevertheless appears to feature in The Mabinogion... since we learn Blodeuedd, upon hearing that the wizard Gwydion was hot in pursuit:

“...took her maidens with her and made for a court that was on the mountains, and over Cynfal river they made for a court that was on the mountain. But through fear they could not proceed save with their faces looking backwards. And then, never a thing knew they before they fell into the lake, and were all drowned save she alone..”

A visit to the ancient stone pile is recommended (a surfeit of quarry workings notwithstanding) since there are some fantastic views to be had from the summit. Hey, the archaeology’s pretty impressive, too, although I did wonder whether – having noted over the years how a number of Welsh summit cairns incorporate pre-existing crags within the structure – this was actually originally intended as a ring cairn? A crafty attempt to save effort, or symbolic incorporation of the living rock into the monument? Ermm. Let’s go with the latter, eh? Having said that, the professionals are pretty sure, Coflein reckoning:

A ring cairn located around the summit of Y Garnedd...It has a diameter of 12m, mainly consisting of turf-covered stonework 0.2 – 0.3m high, with a pronounced kerb in places. It is best preserved on the NE and NW sides, the S side partly formed from a natural outcrop. In the centre is a depression, but this appears to have been scooped out in modern times. There is an arc-shaped pile of stones on its E side, and slabs to the W which may be natural.....” [W B Horton, H & H, 10/01/2014].

Y Garnedd is most easily approached via a track above Llyn Dubach beside the B4407 from Ysbyty Ifan.

The Migneint, an extensive area of peat blanket bog overlooked by the Arenig mountains of Gwynedd, is not the place for those seeking easy walking... or trendy ‘outdoor experiences’... to venture. ‘Hostile’ or ‘bleak’ might be appropriate adjectives, particularly when the cloud base is down and the rain just won’t relent.

However, don the boots when the weather is a touch more salubrious and the curious traveller may experience a touch of that special wilderness vibe without too much effort. Perfect for the short day, or when the body just won’t respond. It happens, right? Furthermore, there are a number of hidden highlights to discover here, far from the maddening crowds, so to speak: Llyn Conwy, source of the river high above Cwm Penmachno; the massive prehistoric ring cairn crowning Y Garnedd, keeping watch over Llyn Morwynion; equally massive cairns surmounting the sentinel peaks of Arenig Fach and Arenig Fawr; and arguably the most obscure of all – in my opinion – a lovely little Bronze Age cairn located above the Nant yr Olchfa, upon the flanks of Carnedd Iago at SH7919140367.

Although not that far from the B4391 – and within sight of the usual moronic petrol head bikers and wannabee rally clowns racing up and down during Easter Bank Holiday – the location is one to savour for such limited expenditure of effort. Hey, the monument even displays a hint of a former internal cist. Should you lack a GPS (hopefully you do and still engage in traditional fieldcraft rather than have some bloody satellite tell you where you are – or not as the case may be) the cairn is not easy to find. Indeed, I came away bemused the first time of asking. However, persevere since an audience is worth the effort.

Coflein has this to say:

“A small funerary cairn found emerging from the peat. The exposed circular stone structure measures 4.5m in diameter....There is no obvious external kerb and the exposed area is up to 0.4m high. There is one possible recumbent side slab for a cist surviving in the northern half of the cairn. The cairn is located on a flat spur of land raised above the confluence of two streams”. [P.J.Schofield, OANorth, 29th July 2008]

Snowdonia possesses more than its fair share of prehistoric burial cairns set high upon wind and rain-lashed mountain tops. Hey, sometimes they are even bathed in sunshine. It happens. Now and again.

However, fellow Citizens Cairn should note that some pretty fine examples can be found at a lower level, too. Perfect for those days when the poor old limbs simply cannot take any more. Particularly at my age. Or, perhaps, when the clouds have descended to subsume the landscape in clammy, grey vapour... when one would need to be a certifiable nutter to venture into the gloom, even clutching a compass and good intentions.

Now a reference to one such monument can be discerned upon the current 1:25k OS map (not the 1:50k version, mind) at SH68383416 – that is, a little to the southwest(ish) of Llyn Trawsfynydd, beneath the seriously ‘rough’ peaks of the northern Rhinogydd. Note that the latter are most certainly NOT an environment to be caught within hill fog.

Seeking it out is well worth the effort, since not only is the cairn set upon a wild, uncompromising hillside boasting great views and a special upland vibe... it also possesses the remains of a cist within its centre. So no doubt about the prehistoric provenance of this is one, then? Too right. Furthermore, the remains of what seemed to me a possible multi-phase settlement at roadside might be inferred as the former home of the VIP once interred here? Now there’s a thought.

Set overlooking the massive steelworks of Port Talbot, looming a couple of miles to the west, the coastal height of Mynydd Brombil is crowned by a pair of ‘tumuli’ at Ergyd Isaf. Both burial cairns are reasonably well preserved – the southwestern monument by far the larger – and reached by a steep, yet interesting climb from the village of Goytre within Cwm Dyffryn to the north.

Things are not as they should be, however, the western environs of Mynydd Brombill having been chosen as the site of a ‘wind farm’ whose owners, far from being receptive to those within the community wishing to better understand their heritage (as might perhaps have been expected from such a ‘progressive industry?’), instead, vehemently threaten ‘prosecution’ upon any antiquarian wishing to view the primary cairn up close by venturing into its field via the gate. Now while irresponsible trespass (a ‘civil wrongdoing’) clearly needs to be stopped for the good of everyone, the fact that – as far as I’m aware – the act of erecting of a fence upon (and thus damaging) a scheduled ancient monument is a CRIMINAL offence would appear to have escaped the notice of otherwise very observant landowners? Not to mention the authorities. But there you are. For the record, I settled for a view from behind the fence.....

Despite these shortcomings, there is still much to celebrate at Ergyd Isaf, the assumed final resting place of a Bronze Age VIP – hey, a precursor to local greats Anthony Hopkins or Richard Burton perhaps? One can only hope a more inclusive attitude will one day be considered for these prehistoric treasures in order to restore them to their former prominence within the local landscape. Not too late to make amends, people.

This large, powerful hillfort lies just a mile to the southwest of the wondrous Black Cliff promontory fort... but couldn’t really be any more different in terms of siting or ground plan. Hence, combining visits made a lot of sense upon a somewhat inclement February day. Well, while in the area it’d be rude not to, right?

Furthermore, unlike the much smaller enclosure, access is pretty straightforward, a public footpath sign indicating the way at the junction with the road approaching Penterry Farm etc (where, incidentally, I was able to park up with undue fuss). Hey, if in doubt, look for the transmitter antennae which now also crown the hilltop – one assumes not an original Iron Age feature.....

Understanding the ground plan of Gaer Hill is not so simple should you happen to lack a 1:25K OS map. However, in summary, a powerful inner enclosure is nowadays supplemented by significant surviving outer ramparts to south and east, the latter (together with the eastern flank of the inner) lying within the trees and quite substantial in form. One presumes these outer defences – once upon a time, anyway – formed a continuous circuit?

Also of note is a rather fine panorama looking across Chepstow racecourse to the mouth of the Severn Estuary, whereby the spellbound traveller can appreciate a grandstand view of journey’s end for two of Pumlumon’s iconic watercourses: Hafren and Gwy. Pumlumon should really need no introduction.

Subsumed within trees at the northern apex of Black Cliff, overlooking the sinuous River Wye (Afon Gwy) to the approx north of Chepstow – not that I could see the river, but there you are – this is a fine example of an inland ‘promontory fort’, rendered all the more special by being ‘hidden in plain sight’... always the most effective camouflage, I find.

Such is the (sublime) topography here that the original inhabitants were able to concentrate the vast majority of their effort upon erecting a substantial ‘cross bank’ isolating the neck of the promontory to the southwest. Little more, save (apparently) some scarping of the natural slopes, was required elsewhere to create a first-class fortified enclosure. And to recall those Victorian mugs once tried to con society into believing our ancestors were ‘rude savages’ dragged kicking and screaming to civilisation by them damn Romans. Yeah, right. Not buying that.

I approached starting from an unclassified public track (those green dots upon the OS 1:25K map) veering off from the Penterry Farm access road, crossing open fields to ascend from the north-east. It was well worth the effort. Yeah, Chepstow may be justly famous for William FitzOsbern’s magnificent Norman castle – or the Racecourse, should one happen to be a mug punter with a thing for the gee-gees – but clearly, there is much more of interest for the more discerning Citizens Cairn in the immediate locale... most obviously at Gaer Hill, just a mile to the southwest.

Located toward the south-west of Graig Fawr – an elongated, grassy ridge rising to the approx north-east of Pontardulais – I found this Neolithic Chambered Tomb to be much more substantial than anticipated. Yeah, as South Walian prehistoric monuments go, this one retains a significant volume of ‘chamber’... with two groups of orthostats (uprights) still visible within the low residue of cairn material.

Sadly, it would appear local morons think the site fair game for the dumping of broken glass, not an uncommon occurrence in South Wales in my experience. I hereby call upon the decent citizens of Y Bont to sort out this cancer within their midst. Let’s not be judged by the very dregs of our society, eh?

Nevertheless, such was the vibe here – within the swirling hill fog and precipitation – that even such mindless, pointless desecration did not detract too much from the visit. Indeed, by extending the walk to the summit of Graig Fawr the more perceptive, curious traveller will discern the remains of an Iron Age enclosure... a hillfort, no less. There are other prehistoric cairns and such to search out, too. Happy days.

Although my suspicions were aroused following the subsequent identification of what I’d taken to be unrecorded ‘round barrows’ upon Egsair Rhiwlan (immediately to the SE) as the impact residue of shells from a former WW1 artillery range... it would appear the monument to be found here is indeed the real deal. Sweet.

Coflein has this to say:

“A circular, grassy mound, 7m in diameter and 0.6m high. It has a thin peat cover but slight erosion shows that the main body of the mound is composed of earth and stone. It is located on a flat, broad hill summit, overlooking the Elan valley. When visited in June 2009 the area was used for rough grazing and vegetation cover was grass. [J.J. Hall, Trysor, 9/9/2009]”

If obscure hangs away from the tourist bustle of Cwmdeuddwr are your thing, they don’t come much better for such limited effort than this little round barrow.

A bit of an enigma, this: old maps clearly show some ‘structure’ – presumably a cairn – standing beside the old Monks’ Trod, a byway linking the heart of Elenydd with Ffair-Rhos and Strata Florida to the west. However..... deciding to go and have a look upon a very inclement 23/7/2020 I found... well, very little, to be fair. The barest hint of a stone pile amongst the carnage caused by lazy muppets in their shiny new 4x4s engaged in ‘1mph off-road experiences’. Such thrills! Yeah, whatever.

Nevertheless, well worth the walk from Pont ar Elan across the summit plateau of Esgair Rhiwlan – or, if you prefer, follow the lower level green track. Incidentally, the ‘mounds’ I discovered upon Esgair Rhiwlan are apparently shell impact residue from a WW1 artillery range once located here! Just so you know.

Coflein has this to say:

“Carn Ricet is a possible prehistoric cairn that is now denuded, turf-covered, and hard to define. It is disturbed by a trackway... and the small amount of stone visible on the surface would appear to be the remains of a more recent cairn marking the boundary of a sheepwalk and possibly the line of a drovers’ road. [J.J. Hall, Trysor, 18/1/2010]”

Now I must, first off, confess as to having been certain I’d been here – to this VERY substantial upland Bronze Age cairn – before... venturing south from Trembyd in thick hill fog some years earlier. Haha, yeah. Needless to say, the unexpected sight of a truly massive cairn upon the northern horizon as I head for Garth this time around – where I reckoned no cairn should be – was sufficient cause for re-appraisal. Conclusion: map reading muppetry resulting in a vapour-shrouded audience with Carn-y-Geifr (not Carn Wen) back in the day. Ahem.

To be fair Carn Wen is unmistakable... once one knows what it looks like, that is. A Bronze Age behemoth some 78ft in diameter, albeit a little defaced by a couple of small modern ‘marker’ cairns and a curious ‘shelter’, set upon a high plateau of billowing grass. As is the case with most of Wales’ other ‘White Cairns’ I have had the pleasure of visiting, this example is distinctly more of a ‘battleship grey’ hue. But none the worse for that, it has to be said.

All is quiet, save the equestrian – and rather striking – farmer’s wife met earlier in the day thundering past upon her mount. A good place to be and take in the vast skies for a while. Best not attempt it in mist though... just saying. Unless you can actually read a compass.

Coflein records:

“A cairn, 23.8m in diameter and 0.8m high, having three projecting stone platforms about its E perimeter. Two small recent cairns and a double shelter have taken their place upon the cairn.” [J.Wiles 23.04.02]

The Cwmdeuddwr Hills of Y Elenydd, extending westwards from the bustling Welsh market town of Rhayader, are probably best known for harbouring the great Elan Valley reservoirs. Few, save the occasional isolated farmer, live here nowadays. However, those intrepid souls who choose to don the boots and head into that forbiddingly wet landscape on foot will discover abundant traces of those who came before: the pioneering prehistoric farmers who first set down permanent roots in the wake of the Mesolithic hunter-gatherer wanderers. Perhaps the most tangible of these reminders are the great burial cairns they erected upon the hilltops.

One such monument – there are many other examples in the extended locale, including some ‘whoppers’ – can be found at SN98736029 upon Garth, an eastern promontory of Drum Ddu. OK, by all accounts what remains constitutes but the substantial, robbed footprint of what must have been a pretty hefty, large-diameter cairn in its day... however, it is more than enough in the circumstances, given the fabulous location overlooking the River Wye (Afon Gwy) flowing from Pumlumon.

Coflein lists the dimensions as: “..13m by 10.7m and 0.3m high.” [J.Wiles 23.04.02]

Note that Coflein lists another cairn some way to the west at SN9854060330 which didn’t really grab my attention, to be fair. Probably my mistake.

This small Bronze Age cairn cemetery may well be bypassed – unnoticed – by those (such as they are) heading for the wild delights of Drum Ddu or Garth... and their far more conspicuous prehistoric monuments.... from the south. Yeah, one needed to check the map – and remove a splodge of baked bean (I believe) obscuring the relevant detail – before being sure of the location.

Nonetheless, the three(?) cairns are discernible among the ubiquitous industrial-strength upland grass and, furthermore, the sweeping vista towards South Wales is one to behold before moving on to check out the massive stone piles even I couldn’t miss.

Coflein reckons:

“Two probable and one possible cairn: I – at SN98095991 [is] c.3.7m in diameter and 0.3m high, with a slight central depression; II – at SN98125993, 4.1m in diameter and 0.45m high, with a central depression; III – at SN98135995, c.1.8m in diameter and 0.3m high. It is thought unlikely that these are clearance cairns and the preferred interpretation is that of a cairn cemetery.”
[J.Wiles 24.04.02]

Trychrug – or Trichrug, if you so prefer – is a fairly substantial hill (rising to 1,125ft) between Trefilan and Cross Inn. The B4337 crosses its eastern shoulder, actually a Drover’s Road in times gone by... which, given the (alleged) propensity of those chaperoning animals to market to the odd shandy or two, might help explain sightings of fairies ‘round about across the years?

Having said that, the hill does have form – and not just in a topographical sense – since it seems quite plausible to me that the hill’s nomenclature is a reference to the massive Bronze Age round barrows which still crown the summit plateau. Sure, although there is actually a quartet of such monuments to be found here, one example is a relative ‘tiddler’, at least nowadays....

Set upon a north-west/south-east alignment, the northern pair is actually comprised of two very substantial round barrows indeed, albeit seriously overgrown with sundry industrial-strength vegetation. I assume by the OS designation of ‘Tumuli’ these are not heavily ‘grassed-over’ cairns? Whatever, the vibe is excellent for it would appear even the local dog walkers – who see fit to leave their mess (presumably of their guiltless canine charges) upon the approach track – do not bother to venture here.

Despite having walked the uplands of Wales for over 30 years now, one is nevertheless often gob-smacked at the scale of the prehistoric monuments which still remain ‘up here’. Nowhere is this happy state of affairs more evident, perhaps, than upon the south-eastern tops of The Cwmdeuddwr Hills between the tourist hubs of Rhayader and Builth Wells.

Here, a glance at the 1:25k OS map will reveal numerous ‘Cairns’ annotated in ‘Antiquarian Typeface’; however, what is not disclosed by those wondrous cartographers is the relative size of these monuments. OK, an indication of potential substantiality might be determined by whether local folk saw fit to assign a cairn an individual moniker... there are two examples nearby: Carn Wen (White Cairn) and, crowning Drum Ddu, Carn-y-Geifr (Cairn of the Goats). The massive monument upon Llethr Waun-lwyd, however, takes the weary traveller completely by surprise.

It would appear there is some debate between professional archaeologists as to whether the cairn represents the huge, low ‘footprint of a heavily robbed round cairn... or perhaps a well preserved ‘platform’ cairn? I appreciate the dilemma. I approached from the ‘dead end’ road beyond Nantgwyn to the south. However, that would be just one of many options, depending upon the proposed itinerary.

Coflein says:

“A cairn, 13.1m in diameter and 0.5m high, set on an upland shelf open to the S and W, which possibly represents the base of a ruined cairn, or else is a platform cairn.” [J.Wiles 23.04.02]

Set in a forestry clearing at the head of Cwm Twrch, a few miles above and to the approx south-east of the idyllic village of Llanddewi Brefi, this Bronze Age cairn is very much of the ‘if you didn’t know it was here’ variety, despite being hidden in plain sight immediately beside the sole road traversing the valley.

The monument was more-or-less engulfed with springy heather at the time of my September visit, with just a small section of exposed cairn material – topped by a fading, hand-painted sign confirming its prehistoric ancestry – visible amongst the otherwise all-prevailing green.

Those who, the alien presence of conifers upon our uplands notwithstanding, discern a special vibe within the bosom of massed trees will find a brief (or extended, as you wish) interlude here worthwhile. The violent, wind-induced motion of the foliage was, indeed, something to experience... at odds, yet somehow complimentary to the relaxed lunchtime vibe following a full-on morning upon Pen y Corn to the immediate east.

Coflein has this to say:

“A disturbed round cairn, 8.5m in diameter & 0.4m high, set on generally level ground.” [J.Wiles 23.07.04]

This, another of Wales’ numerous ‘White Cairns’, may well initially confuse the uninitiated ... since its hue is very much at the, er, ‘greener’ end of the spectrum nowadays. Hey, it rains a lot upon The Cambrian Mountains... grass likes it here. Likewise, if the truth be told.

A not insignificant trek starting from the farm of Blaneau (take the road north from the idyllic hamlet of Cwrt-y-Cadno prior to climbing steeply first left) will grant the curious visitor an audience with the grassed-over remains of what once must have been a pretty substantial monument in its time, now supporting an OS trig pillar. The expansive vistas to be had are worth the effort themselves. Although don’t forget the waterproofs, the inclement Mid Walian weather seeing fit to give me a veritable pasting for my trouble.

Coflein has this to say about yet another obscure gem:

“A cairn, 18m diameter and 1.0m high, mutilated about its center and having an Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar... set upon its eastward rim.” [J.J. Hall, Trysor, 28 March 2012]

The wild Cambrian Mountain uplands between Llandovery and Tregaron may appear windswept and deserted nowadays, the occasional hamlet or farmstead notwithstanding. However prospective visitors donning boots and venturing forth upon overgrown – or simply non-existent – paths will encounter tangible reminders of significant occupation back in the day: the great burial cairns of Bronze Age VIPs foremost. So, times may have changed... but fair to say it can still be a tad windy.

Pen y Corn, the southwestern spur of Bryn Brawd, possesses a pair of such monuments overlooking Cwm Twrch. OK, not as obvious as the massive example visible upon Craig Twrch, perhaps... but nonetheless a great place to sit, chill and watch the soaring Red Kites for a while.

Coflein gives a little sparse detail, thus:

SN6946051520 – “A Bronze Age cairn on a ridge... The cairn measures 12 metres in diameter and up to 0.75 metres high.”

SN6934251349 (to the southwest) – “A Bronze Age cairn, on a local summit, measuring 9 metres in diameter and up to 0.55 metres high.”

[R.P. Sambrook, Trysor, 22 March 2012]

Shoeburyness.... There’s an obvious clue – at least for anyone with a passing interest in Old English nomenclature – that there was once a ‘fortified place’ here guarding the Essex flank of the mouth of the Thames Estuary. However, thanks to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles of 894 CE, the assumption was that this ‘Danish Camp’ was the work of the the Viking leader Haesten: “The king [Alfred] then went westward with the army toward Exeter.... Whilst he was thus busied there with the army, in the west, the marauding parties were both gathered together at Shobury in Essex , and there built a fortress.” Stands to reason, right? Or at least it did until excavations undertaken during 1998 unearthed classic Iron Age interior features, confirmation of a Middle/Late Bronze Age pottery association with the visible remains of the ramparts following a year later. Hmmm. Pretty conclusive, methinks.

Now whether The Danes, perhaps reeling from defeat at their former Benfleet HQ earlier that year, fell back upon – and adapted? – the already ancient fortifications (perhaps by erecting a smaller Roman/Norman-style parasitical fort within), prior to finally giving up the ghost and retreating back across The North Sea... or threw up a now completely lost defensive perimeter nearby, is probably something only full-scale excavation could determine. Whatever the case, and despite the extensive destruction wrought by the occupation of the site by the Board of Ordnance in 1849 (and successors), much more of the original survives than I had supposed. Yeah, one has to know where to look, that’s all.

Historic England (List Entry 1017206) reckons:

“....The settlement, which many 19th century antiquarians associated with historical references to a Danish Camp, lay in a rural setting until 1849 when Shoebury Ness was adopted as a range finding station by the Board of Ordnance and later developed into a complex of barracks and weapon ranges. The visible remains of the Iron Age settlement were probably reduced at this time leaving only two sections of the perimeter bank, or rampart, standing. This bank is thought to have originally continued north and east, following a line to East Gate and Rampart Street, and enclosed a sub-rectangular area of coastal land measuring some 450m in length. The width of the enclosure cannot be ascertained as the south eastern arm (if any existed) is presumed lost to coastal erosion. The surviving section of the north west bank, parallel to the shore line and flanking Warrior Square Road, now lies some 150m-200m inland. It measures approximately 80m in length with an average height of 2m and width of 11m. The second upstanding section, part of the southern arm of the enclosure, lies some 150m to the south alongside Beach Road... [Trial excavations within the enclosure during 1998] revealed a dense pattern of well preserved Iron Age features, including evidence of four round houses (identifiable from characteristic drainage gullies), two post- built structures, several boundary ditches and numerous post holes and pits. Fragments from a range of local and imported pottery vessels date the main phase of occupation to the Middle Iron Age (around the period 400-200 BC)....”

The surviving defences now enclose Gunners’ Park... a nearby blast mound ‘protecting’ a long-defunct magazine explains both the name of said recreational facility and, one might suppose, the comparatively less upstanding nature of the southern bank versus that engulfed by trees to the north-west. What with ample free parking, Nature Reserve, children’s playground, WW2 coastal defences and beach... c’mon, what’s not to like? Just don’t forget the Spam sandwiches. Bloody Vikings.

You know how it is, right? Sometimes, it is that which lies closest to us – be it relationships... or physical structures hidden in plain sight – that is most difficult to appreciate. Yeah, despite living around these parts for all my life (I shall not elaborate further with regards timescales) one did not possess a Scooby that Prittlewell Camp existed. However, not depicted upon OS mapping, with some two-thirds of the enclosing bank ploughed to oblivion... and those earthworks that do survive cloaked in woodland, perhaps the omission is not too glaring? Perhaps.

The siting of the enclosure is – nowadays at least – somewhat uninspiring, located upon partly wooded scrubland between Wellesley Hospital and Sutton Road Crematorium, due west of the local B&Q superstore. Nevertheless, despite clearly being the haunt of local beer boys and fly-tippers, enough survives to make a visit worthwhile. Yeah, given the paucity of surviving Essex earthworks above ground level – and with a nod to the resident ‘misunderstood muppets’ – it really is a ‘no-brainer’ to check it out, given the opportunity.

The dating of the enclosure is, so it would appear, far from conclusive. The ‘Look-out’ mound upon the south-eastern arc has been likened to the base of a medieval mill.. or even a motte... but again, no one truly knows. Furthermore, the ditch was used as a dump during the 1920’s, no doubt further confusing matters with ‘contamination’. For what it’s worth, seeing as the intrinsic military value of the location is somewhat dubious – and The Bastard’s Norman loons were invariably spot-on with their defensive siting – I concur with a ‘later prehistoric origin’ interpretation for the enclosure as a whole.

Historic England has this to say (List entry – 1017515):

“A slight univallate enclosure which is likely to be of later prehistoric origin but has produced no secure dating evidence. It is located on the northern outskirts of Southend-on-Sea. The monument occupies the northern edge of a broad, gently sloping terrace and commands extensive views over the Roach valley to the north. The enclosure is almost circular in plan, measuring 250m in diameter. The southwestern third of the perimeter is defined by an earthen bank and external ditch which are preserved within a wooded belt. The ditch is less clearly visible, having been recut as an agricultural boundary and used for Corporation dumping in the 1920s, but some traces of it survive. The northern and eastern sections of the enclosure bank have been reduced by ploughing, but the earthwork marking its line was noted in the early 20th century and this still survives. The line of the bank has also been recorded from the air as a cropmark.... There is no trace of an entrance to the enclosure... a pronounced mound... situated on the southeastern part of the perimeter... produced a mixed array of finds including large quantities of tile and medieval pottery... it has been interpreted as the base of a medieval post mill....”

The 1999 Survey report by A Cooper & P Pattison can be accessed here:

archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-1893-1/dissemination/pdf/englishh2-371062_1.pdf

As with its not too distant neighbour at Tolleshunt Major, a little under 3.5 miles to the southwest, this fine round barrow, of copious circumference, has unfortunately been lumbered with the moniker ‘Mill Mound’, no doubt a reference to the former Virley Mill at TL948138, the latter demolished in 1900. However, don’t be fooled by such floury shenanigans. For this is the real prehistoric deal, worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake. And then some.

Historic England has this to say:

“The barrow 380m east of Payne’s Farm is an example of a rare form of bowl barrow with a causeway across its surrounding ditch.... It survives as a hemispherical earth mound which measures 30m in diameter and c.2m in height. It is surrounded by a shallow ditch from which material was quarried during the construction of the monument. This has become partly infilled over the years but survives as a slight earthwork 3m wide and c.0.4m deep. The ditch has a causeway 5m wide on the eastern side.” [List Entry Number: 1009450]

A public footpath heads south from Colchester Road (very roughly midway between Payne’s Farm and Brooklyn) leading unerringly to the great monument, the surrounding ditch still pretty clear.

Set within arable land a little under a quarter-mile to the approx southwest of Beckingham Hall, Tolleshunt Major – the former Tudor edifice having originally been granted to the Beckingham family by the original psycho loon Henry VIII in 1545 – this fine round barrow is rather confusingly annotated as ‘Mill Mound’ upon OS mapping. As a result, one had neglected to visit until now. I mean, I might well have been enthralled by the far-out drunken tricycle antics of Camberwick Green’s Windy Miller in my, er, youth... but Prehistory was supposed to be the new Rock n’Roll, right? Not bakery, even taken to those extremes.

It should be noted that in common with quite a number of Essex villages, Tolleshunt Major DID possess a windmill hereabouts, a smock formerly standing some way to the north-west at TL902114. That is, prior to its demolition in 1924. However, please be sure not to assume this and ‘Mill Mound’ are one and the same. Historic England is clear upon this point:

“Despite some erosion in the past and the levelling of the outer bank by cultivation, the bowl barrow south-west of Beckingham Hall survives well and contains archaeological remains and environmental evidence relating to the monument and the landscape in which it was constructed. It is one of few such monuments to survive as upstanding earthworks in this area of the country, most having been levelled by cultivation.... It survives as an earth mound measuring 16m in diameter and c.2m in height... Although no longer visible at ground level, a ditch from which material was excavated for the construction of the monument, surrounds the barrow mound. This has become infilled over the years but survives as a buried feature c.2m wide.” [List Entry Number: 1009449]

I parked opposite St Nicholas’ Church and sauntered down – appropriately enough – Church Road, prior to veering right to follow a public footpath heading west. The great burial mound can be seen within the cultivated field. Best schedule a late autumn/winter visit to avoid any crops in situ.

Incidentally, there is another fine round barrow (also known as ‘Mill Mound’) at Salcott-cum-Virley, some 3.5 miles to the north-east. It would be rude not to, while you’re here?

This ‘Big Cairn’ – ‘massive’ would perhaps be the more apt adjective – stands upon the eastern aspect of Craig Twrch, an extended rocky ridge located a few miles to the east of Lampeter. Difficult to approach due to extensive bog, this inquisitive traveller thought the monument to be of somewhat unusual construction... and, for once, it would seem the professional archaeologists concur:

“Said to be 18m in diameter, this appears to be a square, drystone revetted cairn, with rounded angles surmounted by a recent, loosely built shelter. The Cairn proper stands 2.2m high. (J.Wiles 03.04.02)”

As for the state of the visitor, the withering stare of a passing fox suggested pity for the creature far less adapted to the hostile environment. Hey, tell me about it, Reynard, my friend.

A must-visit for those who appreciate the more, er... obscure areas of these Isles. And, while not necessarily adept at walking upon water, are at least resigned to wading through it. Webbed feet advantageous.

Well, what do you know? After some 30 years traipsing around The Cwmdeuddwr Hills, it comes as a pleasant if not considerable surprise to (finally) stumble across this beauty of a site on my ‘whatever list’, tucked away beside Cryn Fryn farm overlooking a particularly sinuous course of the River Wye.... or at least it would if not for the copious foliage around about these parts.

Located a little over a mile to the approx south of Llanwrthwl, a public footpath-cum farm track accesses the environs from the minor ‘dead-end’ road, where it is currently possible to park a car nearby without any undue fuss. The cairn, in my opinion, is worth such an extended wait, featuring not only significant remnants of a kerb, but a well-preserved cist with capstone deposited beside into the bargain.

Coflein has this to say:

“A cairn, 12m in diameter and 0.5m high, having a central cist, was one of a pair of similar monuments, the other... at SN97646226, having been destroyed between 1971 and 1978. [RCAHMW AP965027/52 – J.Wiles 23.04.02]”

Yes indeed, there were once two of these beauties. How sad that the ‘rebel’ luvvie protesters so prevalent these days were not around back then to lay down in front of the bulldozers? Then again, just where IS Wales, darling?

Not marked upon current OS mapping, it took me c30 years to suss there is a large standing stone here... but there you are. Then, when I did finally visit last year... it was during a torrential downpour. Anyway, Coflein reckons:

“Large standing stone, approx 2m high x 1.75m wide x 0.40m thick. Mudstone. Orientated E-W. Located near trackway and at edge of peat-cutting area (RSJ 2000)”

Visitors should also check out the ‘possible’ chambered tomb at SN93256957 and, better still, continue up the track to visit the monuments upon Banc Trehesglog... or even Crugyn Gwyddel?

Coflein (J.J.Hall, Trysor, 26 March 2) has this to say concerning the much smaller mound (Blaen Bedw) at SO1402954405, just north of the great Giant’s Grave round barrow:

“A earthen mound, measuring 6m square x 1m high, sub-rectilinear in plan.... Its date and purpose are unknown, but it has been suggested that it may represent a prehistoric funerary monument or even a gibbet mound.”

Incidentally – having watched both a tractor and (old-style) Land Rover Defender struggle up the byway – I would highly recommend leaving one’s car at the entrance track to Ty’n-y-coed (just possible upon the verge) unless you are a complete loon.

As for the Giant’s Grave itself... suffice to say I should have come here much sooner. But hey, there are so many upland sites to be savoured around these parts....

Although Coflein cites this fine monolith as a ‘possible standing stone’ there doesn’t seem any doubt as to its prehistoric pedigree...

Sian Rees (A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales – Dyfed) states that the stone:

“...was prostrate until 1976when excavation revealed the stone hole. Pits were found nearby, indicating the [former] presence of some timber structure built up against the stone, and charcoal from one of these gave a radiocarbon date of 1,140 BC...The standing stone has now been re-erected in its original position...”

At c1,364ft the summit of Yar Tor is an excellent viewpoint, particularly looking approx south-westward to Dartmeet.... although it has to be said that the vista to the east across the stone row to the massive cairns gracing Corndon Tor is not without interest either.

Furthermore, the summit is crowned by a rather substantial cairn, albeit one that has clearly been rather buggered about with by all and sundry over the years. Damn them to blazes!

According to Pastscape:

“Standing up to 2.0m high this cairn stands on the southern outcrop of Yar Tor and comprises a large irregular stony mound now spread and much altered by recent interference. The cairn has a footprint of over 23m. The central area has been hollowed and re-modelled”. [Newman, P 14-MAR-2008 EH Archaeological Field Investigation]