Miscellaneous Posts by Rhiannon

This curiously and naturally shaped stone, known as the 'Saddle stone,' stands upon the parish boundary, and close to 'Bedd Crynddyn'. Its height above ground is from 12 to 15 inches, with a length of 24 inches, and a width averaging 15 inches. -- Visited, 6th September, 1910.

A tumulus, not marked on the Ordnance sheet. It is also sometimes called 'Moel Cerrig Gwynion,' and is visible for some distance, the white quartz stones upon it rendering it conspicuous. It has a height of 8 to 10 feet, with a circumference at base of 250 feet. No traces of its having been opened are to be detected. On its summit sheep have worn a slight depression, and the part so exposed shos the tumulus to be constructed of earth and small stones; the outer covering, now largely grass-grown, being formed of the white quartz already noted above. -- Visited, 6th September, 1910.

A small unhewn and somewhat flat stone, so named on the Ordnance sheet, and said to be the capstone of a ruined cromlech. It is stated that about the year 1830 the stone rested upon several supports. The surrounding earth was excavated, and a quantity of coins and some other objects (said to have been of gold) were discovered. The coins, described as 'ffyrlingod,' 'farthings,' were dispersed in the neighbourhood, but recent inquiry has failed to trace any of them. The other articles are said to have been sent to Powis Castle.

The late Mr. David Roberts, Hendre Fawr, Llangynog, who has died (aged 90) since corroborating the above account, alluded to this monument as 'Bwrdd y Gwylliaid cochion,' 'the red outlaws' table.'

The supporting stones, if they ever existed, have been removed or broken up, and no trace of a cromlech can now be made out. -- Visited, 17th August, 1910.

A low grass-covered tumulus on Cefnhirbrisg. It is formed of small boulders of the local stone which crops out plentifully above the surrounding soil. Its height averages 8 feet; the circumference at base is 160 feet. Rushes grow freely at its western base. It has no appearance of having been disturbed, save for the insertion of the posts of a wire boundary fence which crosses over it. -- Visited, 7th October, 1910.

This cairn, known locally as 'Carnedd Fach,' is situated on Esgair Wen, not far from the boundary between Montgomeryshire and Cardiganshire. It was considerably damaged, prior to the year 1868, the stones having been taken to build a closely adjacent shooting shelter, no in ruins. The base of the cairn shows the lowest range of stones to have been somewhat regularly laid. It is 120 feet in circumference, and the present height is about 2 feet. As in the case of so many other carneddau and tumuli in this county, boundary fences - in this case three in number - meet at it; one of the fences has been carried across it. The base of the cairn facing due west is the best remaining portion. Carn Bwlch y Cloddiau, half-a-mile to the south, is distinctly to be seen from it. -- Visited, 11th October 1910.

Bryn Bras Stones.

These six standing stones, locally known as 'Cerrig yr helfa, ' not marked on the Ordnance Survey sheet, are in a line with one another on Mynydd Dyfnant. The tallest is 6 feet above the ground, the others are from 1 1/2 feet to 2 feet. The average distance between the stones is 10 feet. Though unhewn stones of the mountain, they appear to owe their positions to design. A seventh stone is just visible in the bog, into which it seems to have sunk. The direction of the line is north-east by south-west. -- Visited, 29th July, 1910.

From the road you can see to the left of the gate a circular depression in the ground, and there are others in the allotment. These are considered to be pre-historic pit dwellings; also a good many rock cavities all over the Crag could easily have been converted into rude habitations. In a part consisting of waterworn limestone, deeply fissured and scored all over, there is an underground passage known as the Dog Holes Cave. In the fissures are many ferns and small trees and bushes; there isa large ash tree just at the entrance to the cave.

The Dog Holes Cave.
It is only three years since the cave was scientifically explored by Mr. J. W. Jackson, the assistant keeper of Manchester Museu. The entrance is by way of a vertical shaft due to the falling in of the roof; it is boarded up and padlocked for safety, it is is thirteen feet to the bottom of the shaft and the total length of the cave is seventy feet.

At the first exploration animal remains of the dog, sheep, goat, Celtic shorthorn, and, in less abundance, the horse, red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer were found. Also human remains of at least eleven individuals were discovered. The teeth only of the urus, the reindeer, adn the Irish elk were found. There were some metal objects including a small Celtic bronze, and red fragments of early first century pottery pointed to an earlier occupation of the cave than the period of the withdrawal of the Roman army from this country.

An underground chamber was discovered on the farm of Culsh, about two miles distant from the Church of Tarland, which was cleared out in my presence in the month of August last, and which I shall now endeavour to describe. The cave occurs on a slope, the entry to it being so contrived as not to attract notice. Its extreme length is about 47 feet, it is curved in shape, and closely resembles in form the chamber near Newstead, Roxburghshire.

Its width at the entry is about two feet, increasing gradually as it recedes to an average width of about six feet. The extreme end is of a circular shape. The height from the floor, which is on solid rock, increases from five feet near the entry to an average height of about six feet towards the other end. The walls are formed of boulders of various sizes, and they converge as they rise upwards, the cave being about a foot narrower at the roof than at the base of the walls. On the top of the walls are placed large and heavy slabs of stone as a roof, the whole being covered over with earth, so as to harmonise with the surrounding surface. So well has this been done that it was only from the protruding of one of the covering slabs and its consequent removal, that the cave was discovered.

When it was opened up, it was found to be filled nearly to the top with what appeared to be a rich unctuous earth, resembling that of a churchyard more than the ordinary soil of the country. Analysis of the earth did not lead to any marked result. The earth was removed by the farmer to be used as manure, and there were about thirty cartloads of it. At a spot on the floor, about 18 feet from the entry, were found fragments of an urn, several pieces of bones, apparently those of an ox, a quantity of smooth pebbles, two querns, and a mass of ferruginous matter, which appeared to have undergone the action of fire. Portions of them are now exhibited, as well as a large bead which was found among the earth when it was in the course of being spread on the field. A large quantity of charcoal was mixed with the earth from the entrance to the spot where the relics were found.

Parish of ABERGWILI.
Carreg Fyrddin, 'Merlin's Stone' (6 in. Ord. Surv. sheet, Carm. 40 N.W.; lat 51'52'1", long. 4'14'14").

This stone stands in a field called Parc y maen llwyd on the farm of Ty llwyd. The farmstead is placed at the foot of the picturesque height called Merlin's Hill, and the stone has a place in the traditions of the neighbourhood concerning Merlin. It stands 5 feet above ground, is 4 feet 6 inches broad, and 1 foot thick; it faces south. Certain marks on this stone have been thought to be Ogam characters, but they are probably only accidental or random scorings. A highly fanciful sketch of them is given in Westwood's Lapidarium Walliae, pl. 47, fig. 1; and the stone is referred to in Arch Camb., 1876, IV, vii, 236; ib., 1877, IV, viii, 137.

About 150 yards north-east of Carreg Fyrddin and on the same farm of Ty llwyd, are two meini hirion, separated 50 feet from each other. They are about 4 feet high, and 4 feet 6 inches broad. They bear no distinctive names, nor is any tradition connected with them. - Visited, 24th September, 1912.

Above the Head of the River Ock, is Ashbury-park, near which is a Camp of about 100 Paces in Diameter, but the Works are almost entirely defaced, by digging for Stones to build Lord Craven's House in the Park, which was a very magnificent one, but was unhappily burnt down.

In the Parish of St. Levin, in this County, there is a Promontory, called Castle-Treryn. This Cape consists of three distinct Groupes of Rocks. On the Top of the middle Groupe of Rocks, (which we climbed with some Difficulty and Hazard) we there observed the most wonderful Logan-stone, perhaps, in the World; one of our ingenious Companions took the Dimensions of it, and computed the solid Content, which amounted to about 95 Tons; the two inclined Sides somewhat resemble the two Roofs of a House, meeting in a sort of obtuse Ridge upon the Top. The lower Part of the Stone is a large plain Base, near the Middle of which, projects a small Part on which it rests, which Part seemed to be of a round Form, and not to exceed more than 18 or 20 Inches in Diameter. The lower Part of this too, was somewhat convex'd, by which Means, as it was equally poised on this Part, it became easily moveable upon the large Stone below, the Position of which was most of all wonderful, as the Surface on which the Logan-stone rested was considerably inclined; so that at first Sight, it seemed as it were easy to heave the Logan-stone off, but on Tryal, we found, that we could produce no other Motion than that of Libration, the Power of one Man being only sufficient to move it up and down about half an Inch. It is so high from the Ground, that no one who sees it, can conceive it could be lifted up to the Place where it now rests. It makes a natural Part of the Crag on which it at present stands, and always seems to have belonged.

In the Parish of Sithney, stood the famous Logan-stone, called Men-amber, which is 11 Feet long from East to West, 4 Feet deep, and 6 Feet wide. This top Stone was so nicely poised, that, "a little Child, as Mr. Scawen in his M.S. says, could instantly move it;" but in the Time of Cromwell, when all monumental and curious Pieces of Antiquity, that Ignorance and fiery Zeal deemed superstitious, not only grew into Contempt, but which it was reckoned a Mark of Piety to deface or destroy, one Shrubsall, Governor of Pendennis, with much ado, caused it to be undermined and thrown down, to the great Grief of the Country.

It is usually believed that stone cromlechs are entirely absent from Montgomeryshire. The remains of what seems to have been a fine example of a cromlech, with perhaps a long "creep" entrance, are to be seen a few yards east of a deserted cottage called Pen y Parc. A neighbouring cottage, marked upon the Ordnance sheet as 'Pen y mynydd,' is still known to the old inhabitants of the district by the name which it bears in the Tithe Schedule (no. 1105), 'Bwlch y Gistfaen.' The stones forming one side of the structure, and the covering stones, have been broken to furnish the material for the adjacent walls, and fragments still lie strewn around. The right or southern side of the avenue and chamber has also been too much disturbed to permit of accurate measurements being taken. The entire structure would appear to have measured about 21 yards in length, and to have been aligned to east and west (magnetic) - Visited, 14th April, 1910.

A monolith, not noticed upon the Ordnance sheet, placed about half a mile south of Llanwrin, on a field belonging to Fronwen farm, just above Cwm Ager. Tithe Schedule, No. 40, where the field is called Cae y garreg lwyd. The stone is 40 feet in girth, the highest point being 7 feet 6 inches above ground, and sloping due east to 3 feet 6 inches above the surface. - Visited 27th April, 1910.

At the end of the second week in July two contracted skeletons were found in a nurseryman's grounds near the famous British camp at Leagrave, Luton. Both were greatly contracted; one, on its right side, had both arms straight down, one under the body the other above; the other skeleton lay upon its left side, with the left hand under the face and the right arm straight down. Both were probably female, and upon the breast of one was a fine bronze pin seven inches long with three pendant ornaments, and three discs of bronze, one plated with gold. Other bronzes of great interest were found with the second skeleton.

I do not write to describe the bones and ornament, but to make public the conduct of the Luton authority. A most intelligent workman lives close to the site of the discovery - one Thomas Cumberland - a man who has studied the antiquities of the district for many years, and to whom antiquaries are indebted for great and freely given assistance. This man was on the spot at once, and clearly and correctly stated the age of the bones and ornaments as British or late Celtic.

Notwithstanding this information, the local police insisted on an inquest, although the bones were broken to pieces and in the highest degree friable. I went ot the nursery and confirmed Mr. Cumberland's determination, made drawings of the bronzes, and such an examination of the bones as circumstances would permit.

The coroner refused to hold an inquest, and so had no authority to make any order, but he wrote and "suggested" that the bones should be buried in the parish churchyard. Armed with this "suggestion," the relieving officer ordered an undertaker to carry off the bones, which he did, in spite of the protest of the nurseryman, who informed him that they had been given to me and were my property. He was ordered to put the bones in coffins and bury them in the churchyard of Biscot. The undertaker took the bones to his shop at Luton. I at once applied to the relieving officer for permission to examine adn measure some of the bones. I clearly explained to him the nature and importance of the discovery, and the trifling nature of the favour asked. This official replied in a curt and rude manner, and simply said, "I have no authority; you must apply to the coroner."

I repeatedly wrote to the undertaker to delay the funeral for a few days. I twice wrote to the coroner in an urgent but most respectful manner, and pointed out the importance of the discovery, which, indeed, is quite unique in this district, but all to no purpose. He said he had not given the "order" for burial, and he refused to interfere, but he wrote to the undertaker and said, "I can give no consent or authority in any way, but must leave you to carry out the arrangement which has been come to with you." I wrote letters for six days to the different persons concerned, but to no effect; they would have a funeral, and the police now actually demanded the bronzes from the owner. The property is free-hold.

Well, on Wednesday last the two coffins were screwed up at Luton and taken in a hearse to Biscot churchyard, where the vicar, in the presence of a policeman, officiated. Shining breastplates were screwed on to the coffins inscribed, "Bones found at Leagrave, July 1905." Amongst the bones in the coffins were several non-human examples, a rib bone of a sheep, a piece of a rib of beef, a bone of a rabbit, and another of roebuck.

Worthington G. Smith.
Dunstable.

In the parish of Llantrisant, three-quarters of a mile S.W. by S. of the church, and about half a mile north-west of the farm-house of Tregwhelydd, and not far from that of Maen y Goron, is to be found a maen hir, formerly known as MAEN Y GORED; this stone is leaning in a north-westerly direction at an angle of about 45 degrees. Its present measurements are 8 ft. 6 ins. long on its upper surface, 3 ft. 6 ins. in width and from 1 to 2 ft. in thickness. It is composed of mica schist and dolerite which may be local, though there is little dolerite except in ice carried boulders. (E.G.)

No indication of its existence appears on the present Ordnance Surveys but on that of 1841 it is described as "Maen-y-gored", or the stone of the fish-weir. It is difficult to imagine at the present day where a weir could have existed in its immediate vicinity, possibly a fish-trap, or something of that sort, was to be found in the river Alaw, which is close by.

A second stone lies nearly buried in the ground behind the leaning stone the dimensions of which correspond nearly to those of the first. Excavation might reveal that when in their original upright position they were a pair that stood 11 ft. apart. A block of sandstone, scored by the plough, lies partly under the leaning stone. No orientation can be attempted here. These remains have been placed by Lord Sheffield under the care of the Commissioners for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments.

In July and August Dr. Brydon explored a [...] remarkable deposit at the farm of Shaws, in the confines of Selkirkshire. In front of the farm-house is an eminence called the Middle hill, overlooking the lochs forming the sources of the Ale; and on this is a mound known by the name of the Sleepy knowe, which was resorted to by some workmen, about four years ago, in search of stones to build a march-dyke. On breaking into the mound they came upon a cist containing a skeleton, on which Mr. Gibson, who occupies the farm, at once, with a rare, and therefore the more praiseworthy, intelligence put a stop to the work. It remained in this state till Dr. Brydon, becoming acquainted with the circumstance, resolved to prosecute the search.

The Knowe, as its name implies, was a circular mound, 108 feet in circumference and 5 to 6 feet high, covered with fine short grass. On removing the soil the structure was found to be formed of 3 to 4 tiers of large stones "sloping inwards and downwards, like a low wall all round," on the edge of which rested "another layer of unequal thickness, the direction of which was inwards and upwards." The general character of the edifice appears to have been that of a rude vaulted dome, paved throughout with large water-worn stones, resting on what appeared to be a layer of peat ashes.

The interior was occupied by several cists and smaller cavities, at different depths, separated from each other by large stones apparently cast in without any regularity.

Above the whole was a layer of larger water-worn stones, surmounted by smaller shingle, completing the structure.

Besides these there was a vaulted chamber in the centre of the mound, in which was found a sculptured stone slab, inches 39x21x10, supported by three stones resting on the floor. The upper surface exhibited several incised lines and cavities, the former covering a space of inches 6x2 1/2, three of them being parallel and joined at either end by an oblique line. On the under surface were "five incomplete cavities," and round the four sides a series of cups, 3,4,4, and 2. There was also found a large, flat, upright stone, imbedded in the natural soil, which was conjectured to have stood there before the erection of the barrow. Near it were an antler and fragments of palmated deer horns.

Mr. Tate set off to examine the stone cover of an ancient British sepulchre, which was discovered a few years ago on Goat's-know, Edington hill, formed of upright slabs of sandstone, but in which nothing was found. The cist was broken up, but the cover was removed farther down the hill and there used for the outlet of a drain. This cover is an unhewn slab of the sandstone of the district, 4ft. 2in. long and 3ft. 1in. broad, and on its rough surface remain artificial markings, the principal form being a round hollow or cup, from which curves away a groove, extending into a wavy line 27in. long. From the upper part of this groove another short groove issues, ending in a small cup. Other cups and lines can be traced, but not distinctly, in other parts of the stone. The figures are undoubtedly the work of art, for the tool-marks are still visible.