Kammer

Taken 6th October 2002: This is the view from the footpath to the north (through a telephoto lense) looking south.

Taken August 1997: This is a view of the interior of the southern house (actually the ‘house’ part of the settlement, because the northern building was probably a workshop).

Taken August 1997: This is a view of the two Neolithic houses at the Knap of Howar, taken looking west. Louise is sitting in the northern house (technically a workshop) on what might have been a chair or a prehistoric workbench.

Taken April 2000: Not very prehistoric, this is the Wellington Monument which sits on the highest point of the south fort. It was built in 1858 as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington, and is supposed to represent an upturned canon. Thanks to this 18 metre lump of masonry it’s really easy to spot Pendinas from a very long way away.

Taken April 2000: This is a shot of what remains of the north gateway into the south fort.

Taken April 2000: This shot is taken from the isthmus (the fortified section of land between the south and north sections of the fort). The photo is taken looking south, and you can clearly make out the rampart that stands at the base of the south fort.

Taken April 2000: This is what remains of the south gateway at Pendinas, from just inside the south fort. This entrance would have been lined with dry stone walling and was crossed by a timber bridge.

Taken August 1997: This is the modern entrance to Maeshowe. I remember being stupidly excited as we approached the tomb. Just looking at the photo makes me want to go back!

Taken August 1997: This is a detail from the photo in my previous posting, but I’ve mucked around with it in Photoshop to try and make the runes clearer.

Here’s a translation of what this inscription says:

“It is surely true what I say that treasure was taken away treasure was carried off in three nights before those...”

Taken August 1997: This shot is taken looking at the ‘thin’ edge of the upright stone with the runic graffiti on it. You can just make out some of the inscriptions.

The next posting along from this one is a manipulated version of this photo (in detail) and a translation of the runes.

Taken August 1997: This was taken with a wide angle lens, and me pressed as far back as possible against the guard rail to get the shot. To the right of the entrance passage you can see the upright stone that has a runic inscription running down it (or is it up, I’m not sure).

Taken 7th September 2002: The cairn is surrounded by a stock fence, although there’s no gate to keep the sheep out. I stood on the corner post to get this shot (the standing stone is just out of the frame).

Taken 7th September 2002: I’m a sucker for standing stones, even when they’ve been moved by archaeologists. This one stands to the west of the cairn. I’m not sure whether it was standing when the site was discovered, but I suspect not.

Taken 7th September 2002: Here is one of the small stones just south of the cairn platform, and you can still clearly see reference ‘B2’ painted on the side of it from the reconstruction process.

Taken 7th September 2002: This is the (rather sinister) Nant-y-Moch Dam. If you own the latest version of the Landranger map for the area (135) you can take a closer look, because it’s on the front cover. The red arrow indicates where the cairn is now sited, but it was originally just ‘off-shore’ of the promontory where it has been reconstructed (in the direction of the dam).

Taken 25th September 2002: Castell Coch from the north, with the Landranger is included for scale.

Taken 25th September 2002 looking (approximately) south towards the road. You can just make out my car parked in the lay-by. This is the Glandwr Stone that most people agree is a Bronze Age monolith (the disputed stone is out of shot).

Taken 25th September 2002: In the foreground is the quartz monolith known as the Glandwr Stone, and just behind it is a smaller stone that might be a second Glandwr Stone, or might equally be the tip of a natural outcrop. Highlighted in red in the distance is the Disgwylfa Fach stone.

Taken August 1997: This is the stone that was split by lightning. The sign reads:

“This stone was struck by lightning on the 5th June 1980 causing it to shatter. Such events may also have occurred in earlier times, and might account for the damaged state of several other stones in the ring.”

Taken 22nd September 2002: A rather hazy shot of Pendinas taken from Castell Bwa-Drain hillfort, about 10 miles inland. The line of site between these two forts must have been used for communication purposes.

Taken 22nd September 2002: Shot from the west of the fort, from a rocky outcrop that doesn’t appear to be part of the fort itself (surely an ideal place to attack from).

Taken 22nd September 2002: Here’s another shot to give you a idea just how spectacular the views are from the fort. This is taken looking south (or near enough). The slag on the far side of the Rheidol Gorge is from 19th century lead and silver mining, and the line above it is the track for the Vale of Rheidol railway. I know I keep saying this, but the valley floor is 300 metres below the hillfort!

Taken 22nd September 2002: I’m not mad on hillforts, but this photo gives you an idea why I keep coming back to Bwa Drain (apart from the fact it’s on my doorstep). This shot is taken from the fort looking west, and you can clearly see the Rheidol and the Cwm Rheidol Reservoir on the valley floor (300 metres below). You might just be able to make out Pendinas hillfort on the coast (almost above William’s head). Apologies for the absence of a sea view, it was a hazy day when I took this.

Taken 22nd September 2002: This is the hillfort (approximately) from the north, taken from the road that runs across the Banc Bwa Drain commonland. You could really do with the third dimension here. From this photo you don’t get an accurate impression of distance between the fort and the trees on the other side of the Rheidol Gorge (behind it).

Taken 20th September 2002 from the north west, this is the south summit. I took the photo from the top floor of the Llandinam Building tower at the University of Wales, Aberystwth. You can just make out the entrance to the fort on the right hand side of the shot.

Taken 15th eptember 2002: Here’s the stone itself. You can just about make out the cracks where the stone was broken.

Taken 15th September 2002: This photo shows the war memorial, with Garreg Fawr behind it (to the left) partly covered by the shadow of the war memorial cross.

Taken 15th September 2002: This little metal plaque is mounted on the base that supports Garreg Fawr. The Powells of Nanteos are no longer about, but back in the 19th century they owned large swathes of Ceredigion (including the land where my house now stands). I wonder who lays claim to the stone now?

Taken 15th September 2002: On my way to the Disgwylfa Fach Standing Stone I thought I’d grab this shot of Pen-y-Castell hillfort from the south. The standing stone isn’t visible from this angle.

Taken 15th September 2002: In case you’re trying to spot the Disgwylfa Fach Stone and Glandwr Stone(s) from the road, this shot gives you an idea where to look.

I took this from the passing place where we parked. The arrow on the left points to the Glandwr Stone(s) and the arrow on the right to the Disgwylfa Stone.

Taken 15th September 2002: This is the Disgwylfa Fach stone from the north west (ish). In the background you can see the road that I walked from.

Taken 15th September 2002: Here’s the Disgwylfa Fach stone from the south, as you see it approaching from the road. I’ve stuck my Landranger in for scale.

Taken on a visit in 1995 (I’m not sure exactly when) this photo shows the circle as you see it, against the horizon, approaching from the south.

Taken 16th June 2002: Looking out of the churchyard, through the megalithic gateposts. Just about everyone agrees that these two stones have been moved from their original location.

Taken 8th August 2002: Here’s the standing stone, complete with sundial. Previous to 1909 the stone stood outside the original circular churchyard.

Taken 8th September 2002: Looking north-east, here’s the standing stone with the church in the background. You can just make out the remains of the original churchyard perimeter on the left-hand side of the photo, now just a denuded bank (see plan).

Taken 7th September 2002: This is the southerly stone, taken looking approximately west.

Taken 7th September 2002: This is the southerly of the two stones, with my 3 year old son William sat on it for scale. Behind William a slither of Pond Nant y Cagal is visible.

Taken 7th September 2002: This is the northerly of the two stones. In the background is Pond Nant y Cagal, and our car parked up where the footpath to the southerly stone crosses the road. In the distance is Pumlumon silouted against the horizon.

Taken 7th September 2002: This northerly stone may have been an early Bronze Age motorbike or car. That’s William’s verdict anyway. Lou is off in the distance on the road.

Taken 1st September 2002: I made a second visit to this site in as many days to take this photo, and check that this tiny stone is the only one that could possibly be the Garn Lwyd stone. Siloutted in the distance is Dinas Hillfort.

This photo was taken on 28th August 2002 looking east. The light was appalling because it was late in the day and the weather was closing in.

Taken winter 1994/95. This is a detail of one of the the spiral engravings on Long Meg.

Taken sometime during the winter of 1994/95. Long Meg is in the distance against the horizon.

Taken 26th July 2002: The Chestnuts is in a garden belonging to Mrs Bygrave, but it’s not been incorporated into a patio or anything horrible like that. The land that it stands on is kept relatively untouched, with the grass cut only for footpaths and access to the stones.

Taken 26th July 2002: As with all the big megaliths, William found the Chestnuts very exciting. He really liked Mrs Bygrave and kept asking us when we were going to go into her house and have a drink!

Taken 26th July 2002: This shot is taken from underneath a tree next to the Coldrum, which is hung with offerings of hair, flowers and what appears to be polyprop rope.

Taken 26th August 2002: This photo shows the capstone, propped up on a little stone pillar. The stone is covered in modern carvings, which are themselves relatively weathered, and from a distance look almost like an intentional pattern.

Taken 26th August 2002: A photo of the cist and capstone, with my Dad for scale. This was my first visit to Bedd Taliesin, and having seen other photos of the site (without anyone in them) I expected it to be bigger.

It was a sunny and slightly hazy day, but the views were amazing. You can just make out the Dyfi Estuary behind Dad, and we thought we could see Snowdon (off to the right and out of shot).