The NMR (available through Coflein) describes Henriw Standing Stone:
A standing stone 2.28m high by 1.06m by 0.61m, said to be the sole survivor of four stones, ‘two large and two mall stones arranged quadrangularly’.
Kammer
The NMR (available through Coflein) describes the standing stone and its fallen partner:
A standing stone, 1.8m high by 2.15m by 0.42m, set on level ground in a valley bottom. A second stone (Cpat Prn4453), 2.23m by 0.93m by 0.15m, lies prostrate at the foot of the monolith, together these stones may have formed a stone pair. There is a hollow way (Cpat Prn4447) running E-W to the N of the stones.
The NMR (available through Coflein) describes Pegwyn Mawr II as a possible ring cairn:
An unbroken bank, 2.0-4.0m wide and 0.6-0.9m high, encloses an area 10m in diameter, and has an Os triangulation pillar upon its SW.
The NMR (available through Coflein) describes the cairn, and the bones that were found there:
A cairn, 19m in diameter and 2.0m high, largely denuded by the construction of a rectangular shelter upon it. A skull and other human bones are said to have been found here and subsequently reinterred.
Coflein describes this site as, “an apparently arteficial [sic] mound, 15m in diameter and 1.0-2.5m high, bearing the scar of an excavation trench”.
The NMR (available via the MAGIC web site) describes the site:
The monument includes a long barrow situated on a south east facing slope below the crest of a wide spur. The long barrow is orientated east-west but has been rounded by cultivation. The mound is 48m long and has a maximum width, at the centre, of 28m. It reaches a maximum height of 0.8m in the part that is no longer under cultivation but elsewhere survives as a slight rise approximately 0.3m high. Set into the east end of the mound is a large, lozenge shaped stone, known locally as the Hoar Stone. To the south of the centre of the mound is a large, kite shaped, capstone which covers a chamber. This was excavated in 1806 by Anthony Preston and is reported to have been divided into two segments and to have contained the remains of eight or nine skeletons. Although no longer visible on the surface, quarry ditches will flank either side of the mound and will survive as buried features 3m wide.
On her web site Celia Hadon recommends a visit during the Autumn or Winter when the field is not full of crops.
I think I’ve spotted this site from the road, but it’s firmly within the boundaries of a field with no public acess. One of these days I’ll knock on the door of the house near the circle and ask if I can get a closer look. Coflein describes it as...
A cairn circle 13m in diameter. Of an original ring of stones protruding from the upper edge of the bank, nine remain.
In his excellent book Prehistoric Preseli (ISBN 1 899793 06 2) N.P. Figgis also describes Glandymawr:
There is another group on the north side of Glandy Cross, running uphill behind the pub. One of these seems to have been of exceptional importance; the platform is kerbed with unusually heavy stones, so that it has sometimes been mistaken for a stone circle. A hedge has cut off some of it, and brambles have swallowed the interior.
The RCAHMW database (accessible through Coflein) gives a description of this cave which was iregularly used over a long period of time:
A rectangular cave, 3.0m wide by 3.5m high and 5.0m deep, set near the top of coastal cliffs facing E across a level platform. Finds from excavation (1911-1977), range from the Mesolithic to medieval.
Set into the stone wall that surrounds the Giant’s Ring is an engraved stone plaque that reads:
THIS WALL FOR THE PROTECTION OF
THE GIANT’S RING
WAS ERECTED A.D. MDCCCXLI BY
ARTHUR VISCOUNT DUNGANNON
[On whose] estate this singular relique of
is situated and who earnestly
recommends it to the care of his successors.
The bits in square brackets are illegible, so I’ve guessed the probable wording.
There’s an excellent example of a motte and bailey castle here, with a well preserved ring keep, but that’s not at all relevant to this web site. The area where the castle is built is not widely recognised as having prehistoric providence, but having visited a number of times I inclined to think there’s a strong possibility that it was built on an existing Iron Age settlement. I base this theory on the unusually large size of the bailey in proportion to the motte.
In the book Saints and Stones (ISBN 1-84323-124-7) Davies and Eastham draw similar conclusions, suggesting that the Guise (or Gwis) family built their castle on, “what was probably a rath or Iron Age settlement”. I need to do some more reading and see who else shares this idea.
In the book Saints and Stones (ISBN 1-84323-124-7) Davies and Eastham describe the evidence for prehistoric use of the site where the church now stands:
Archaeological aerial photography has shown that the circle of the churchyard is enclosed within a larger defensive bank and ditch which also bounds the farms of Prisk and Temple Druid, previously called Bwlch-y-Clawdd. The earlier name, meaning ‘the breach in the bank’ may derive from the defensive enclosure. It was rebuilt in the 1790s by the architect John Nash for Henry Bulkeley and the name changed to Temple Druid. There are a number of sites in west Wales which have defensive enclosures around the church and surrounding hamlet. They are difficult to date, but most are associated with prehistoric settlements and burials, and with early Christian stones.
In the book Saints and Stones (ISBN 1-84323-124-7) Davies and Eastham explain the meaning of the alternative name for Carn Meini, Carn Menyn which translates as ‘The cairn of butter’:
...possibly a reference to the rich pasture land in the area.
As far as I can see this stone is not listed anywhere, so it may not be prehistoric. Having said that it certainly looks the part, but it’s so extremely obvious from the road that I can’t believe it might have been overlooked by the archaeologists.
I’ve named the stone Ffridd y Beudail after the nearby farm house. I’m afraid the grid reference is not very accurate, because I didn’t have my GPS with me when I visited.
Coflein gives a brief description of the hillfort:
A curving stone rampart, c.8.0m across, with a central NE-facing entrance, cuts off a c.350m extent of ridge-crest to the SW, resting on precipitous craggs on the NW. An outer walled enclosure, 60m NE-SW by 30m, beyond a coll, c.25m to the NE. A detached c.50m length rampart, runs S from a point c.50m SE of the outer enclosure.
In the book Saints and Stones (ISBN 1-84323-124-7) Davies and Eastham describe Ffyst Samson as a landmark on one of the Medieval pilgrim route to St David’s:
A walk from Trellys-draw farm leads through a gate up the hillside footpath opposite for 0.5ml to the moorland beyond. The tomb stands among gorse on a rocky plateau commanding stupendous vistas over the surrounding countryside towards St David’s Head and the sea. The enormous, rugged capstone rests delicately on two metre-high sidestones.
According to Davies and Eastham the name ‘Ffyst Samson’ translates into English as ‘St Samson’s Flail’ (the inclusion of the title ‘Saint’ indicates a degree of bias towards Celtic Christian tradition).
The National Monument Record (available through Coflein) gives the following description of this stone:
A standing stone c.2.7m high. Excavation, 1962-68(?), indicated that the stone had been one of a pair, 10m apart, with a stony area, c.15m by 15m, containing a BA cremation, to the N. This BA ritual complex overlies a possible Neolithic settlement (Dat Prn2019). RC dating indicates that some features of the site may be recent.
In the book Saints and Stones (ISBN 1-84323-124-7) Davies and Eastham describe the stone as, “standing 2.7 metres high in gorse”. They also allude to a second stone hole to the north east, revealed by excavation in the 1960s.
A cobbled pavement was discovered to have been laid discontinuously around and to the east of the paired stones. Under the cobbles in a layer of grey silt, fragments of cremated bone and pottery were found, and below them, the remains of seven sub-rectangular and elliptical huts. Their construction, and finds associated with them, suggest seasonal occupation at some point between the late Neolithic and late Bronze Age.
A hand written note about the stone is pinned to the notice board by the church door. It reads,
The Llanbedr Spiral Stone
This stone was found in the hut Circles above Llanbedr, which were probably built during the period when the Goidelo occupied the district from Mawddach to the Glaslyn. The ultimate origin of the spiral decoration can be traced back to Egypt – and thence to Scandinavia Britain & Ireland where it arrived several centuries before Christ.In Britain spirals were at first only found on stones and rock surfaces, but later on they were made use of for decorating various things.
This stone is one of the best examples of Early spiral ornament on stones.
The quirky capitalization is original. As for the accuracy of the account, I’m not convinced that the association with ancient Egypt or the dating of carved spirals in Britain lend it much credibility. However, there does seem to be a definite tradition connecting the stone with these (possibly Iron Age) hut circles.
The stone pair at Llanbedr are thought by some to be the first of a number of Bronze Age standing stones marking a trade route into the mountains. The theory is that metal was transported inland having been unloaded from boats moored on the coast (or Afon Artro?).
The stones are also known as Meini Hirion (meaning long stones).
RCAHMS records available through CANMORE (NMRS Number: NB23SW 33) describe the cairn in detail. Here’s a snippet (with 6 figure grid reference):
NB 2179 3473 In the course of road widening through Breasclete, a hitherto unknown kerb cairn of unusual morphology was revealed. Located 1.6km from the Callanish standing stones, the new site seems to form part of the wider ceremonial complex. When soil stripping for the road improvement scheme began, R and M Curtis discovered a scatter of flaked quartz on the line of the road. Work on the road was delayed by Western Isles Council whilst an excavation was carried out between October and December 1995.
The remainder of the cairn was rebuilt in 1999.
This is an enigmatic place, described as a possible round barrow (Cadw & Cambria Archaeology), chambered tomb (Cambria Archaeology), Roman watch tower (RCAHMW & Cambria Archaeology), enclosure (RCAHMW) and standing stone (Cambria Archaeology).
Carreg-y-Bwci consists of a mound with a large hollow in the centre of it (similar to a donut on its side). In the middle of this is a large prostrate stone. Not an easy site to interpret, but certainly something special. It is sited on a ridge at the head of the river Ffrwyd Cynon.
The ‘Roman watch tower’ theory has gained some credence because Carreg-y-Bwci sits on an old Roman road (Sarn Helen). This doesn’t seem very conclusive to me, as the Romans had a habit of intentionally running their routes past existing megalithic sites (or re-using existing trackways). Also, Carreg-y-Bwci isn’t at the highest or even second highest point in the area. I know very little about Roman watch towers, but I would have thought a vantage point without the obstruction of nearby hills would be sensible.
In it’s modern form the Roman road marks the boundary between Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. There’s a possible stone circle 1km to the north west in Coed LLwynifan (SN63754838).
In a recent edition of Making History on Radio 4, Dr Oliver Padel described the Tristan Stone as a possible converted standing stone. Apparently the inscription on the stone is similar to other 6th Century inscriptions in Cornwall and Wales. He was relatively happy to entertain a connection between the stone and the Tristan of legend, but emphasised that there was no definite link between the stone and the story. Nothing surprising there I guess.
According to Cope (The Modern Antiquarian – page 296), Hirfaen Gwyddog has a written history dating back to the 8th Century CE when it was called behet hirmain in the Book of Chad. In a 12th Century CE charter it was referred to as Hyrvaen Gudauc, and in 1633 CE it was called Hirvaen gwyddoc by Edward Lhuyd.
Hirfaen Gwyddog stands on the county boundary between Ceredigion (historically known as Cardiganshire) and Carmarthenshire. It also marks the point where the land of three farms meets. In his book Mysterious Wales Chris Barber describes the stone as ‘the tallest standing stone in Dyfed’. I’m not sure whether this is true or not, but at 4.8 meters it must come close.
MAGIC (Record No.: 23692) describes the site as the remains of a destroyed Neolithic chambered tomb, now arranged in the form of a stone circle:.
The monument is known as the Calderstones, a group of six decorated sandstone monoliths thought originally to have formed part of a Neolithic chambered tomb constructed approximately 4,000 years ago. These stones have been removed from their original context and are now arranged in a circle and located in the vestibule of Harthill Greenhouses in Calderstones Park. They display an abundance of prehistoric rock carvings and were closely examined by Forde-Johnston in 1954 after their removal from an earlier location close to the entrance to Calderstones Park where they had been erected for display in 1845. They were erected in their present location in 1964 and placed in a random order.
The eight digit grid reference for this site is SJ40408761.
MAGIC (Record No.: 33891) states that Robin Hood’s Stone was originally part of the ‘the complex of stone monuments known as the Calderstones‘, but it doesn’t suggest it was part of a stone circle.
The stone was formerly erected during the Bronze Age and was originally part of the complex of stone monuments known as the Calderstones, which lie approximately 150m to the north east. These have been protected as a separate monument (SM 23692).
The record goes on to describe the cupmarks and give dimensions for the stone:
An early photograph shows that the stone had been decorated with several cup marks, similar to those recorded on the Calderstones. These marks are now at the base of the stone, buried in the soil beneath the concrete plinth. The standing stone is approximately 2.4m high, 0.9m wide and 0.4m thick. It is set in an oval concrete plinth, 0.2m above the surrounding pavement, which is 3.2m long and 2.6m wide.
Interestingly the ‘plinth’ is part of the scheduled site. The eight digit grid reference for this site is SJ39978638.
The sorry looking bronze plaque in front to the stone reads:
THIS MONOLITH KNOWN AS “ROBIN HOODS STONE” STOOD IN A FIELD NAMED THE STONE HEY AT A SPOT 19 FEET DISTANT, AND IN A DIRECTION BEARING 7 DEGREES EAST OF TRUE NORTH FROM ITS PRESENT POSITION, TO WHICH IT WAS MOVED IN AUGUST 1928. THE ARROW BELOW INDICATES THE DIRECTION OF THE ORIGINAL SITE.
THIS.SIDE.OF.THE.STONE.FORMERLY.FACED.SOUTH
Pretty informative for something so old, and at least they recognised that the stone’s orientation was potentially important.
In his book The Spirit Paths of Wales (ISBN: 1-85284-289-X) Laurence Main states that, “two cairns stood here until 1910, when Council workmen destroyed the larger one and carted away its stones for road metal”. He also describes a Bronze Age axe-hammer found at the site, made from “spotted blue dolerite from Preseli”.
As ever, Main doesn’t include any of his sources, but I’ve read about the Council worker story somewhere else. Strangely, I discerned two cairns on my visit, so I’m not sure whether the smaller of the two was the ‘destroyed’ cairn of whether there were originally three cairns (probably the former).
In his book The Spirit Paths of Wales (ISBN: 1-85284-289-X) Laurence Main describes the site in a way that suggests he travels with a tape measure. He also sheds some light on the meaning of the site’s name.
Maengwyngweddw (White-widow Stone) is a striking white quartz boulder about 3ft high and with a circumference of 6ft 8ins…
The book Prehistoric Sites in the Isle of Man, published by Manx National Heritage, gives a good description of Ballakelly:
The site consists of a simple rectangular chamber built of two very large stones with an end wedged between them, and an open on the south-east side. The chamber is exposed to its full height, roughly 3 feet. A kerb of heavy stones, only one of which is missing, is set close to the chamber. The larger kerb stone behind the chamber bears rows of cupmarks.
According to the book the scattered stones to the south east of the chamber (or ‘prone slabs’) have all been moved from elsewhere. The solitary standing stone to the north east of the site is thought to be an original feature.
Here are two snippets of text from the Channel 4 web site describing Oakbank Crannog in the context of the Time Team special about the site, broadcast on 19th April 2004:
Excavation has been going on at the Oakbank site since 1980 largely due to the passion and dedication of Nick Dixon, who runs the Scottish Trust for Underwater Archaeology at Edinburgh University. His wife, Barrie Andrian, shares his enthusiasm for the site, and over the years it has turned into something of a life’s work for the pair of them.
A few years ago, they used their discoveries and understanding from Oakbank to reconstruct a complete crannog at what is now the Scottish Crannog Centre about four miles away. Based entirely on the archaeological deposits found at Oakbank, the reconstruction not only provides the perfect context to the archaeology, but really brings Iron-Age society to life.
Oakbank crannog is completely submerged in the clear waters of Loch Tay. Underwater, the peaty loch bed provides almost perfect preservation conditions, and thus supplies more finds and information than equivalent land archaeology. Previous discoveries at the sites had included a wooden butter dish with butter still in it, bronze pins, floor timbers, small insects, a swan-neck pin, beads, a canoe paddle, woven cloth and cooking utensils. Altogether, the excavations on the site have found the remains of some 200 different plant species, including opium seeds and spelt wheat which previously the Romans were believed to have introduced to Britain.
There are two bowl barrows at the eastern end of Knowle Hill, at least one of which is prominent. Both barrows were excavated by J H Austen in 1861.
In the eastern barrow (SY94568232) Austen found, a “cremation burial within a cist in association with burnt material and a perforated whetstone” in the barrow. The finds from this excavation are stored at the Dorset County Museum, but I’m guessing not necessarily on display.
The barrow to the west (SY94578236) has a causeway breaking the outer ditch in the north eastern section. As well as Austen’s excavation, this barrow was also excavated by W H Frend (1934-5), and a two phase construction was revealed. A cremation burial was discovered and a “small two-riveted bronze dagger”. In the ditch, two inhumation burials of a later date were found as well as some Romano-British
pottery shards and a fragment of a shale armlet.
My sources for the above are Magic and the Ordnance Survey.
The Giant’s Ring consists of a henge monument, within which are the remains of a tomb. Here’s what the Northern Ireland Sites and Monuments Database has to say about it:
A henge monunent, 180m in diam., enclosed by a bank & inner ditch, with a megalithic tomb E of its centre. Excavation in 1954 showed that the bank is made of gravel, boulders & clay, taken from a shallow scoop in the interior. It is unknown which of the several breaks in the bank are original. The burial chamber is a polygonal space surrounded by 5 large stones, covered by a huge capstone & is probably the remains of a passage tomb. It is part of a ritual complex in this area, including cists, barrows & a huge timber enclosure with structures & burials to NW.
This site has been excavated a number of times by Dr Nick Dixon and Barrie Andrian. The nearby Scottish Crannog Centre includes a reconstructed Crannog that is based on the early excavations at Oakbank.
As featured on Time Team in January 2004, here’s what the Channel 4 web site had to say about the site and the programme:
Further excavation on the shore indicates the site of a small ritual henge monument. Complete with entrance facing the loch, the henge contains a stone marker to align the entrance with a landscape feature in the distance where two hills meet. It was later calculated that this point on the skyline would mark the position of the rising sun on the spring and autumn equinoxes.
The RCAHMW record, predating the Time Team excavation, describes the site as a henge, hut circle, barrow or cairn (keeping their options open there):
It measures 12.0m overall and comprises a level, circular platform 7.4m in diameter, surrounded by a ditch 1.1m wide and 0.2m deep, outside which there is a bank 1.2m wide and 0.2m high, revetted externally by a discontinuous line of small horizontal blocks. The bank is broken on the SE, where there is a gap leading to a causeway across the ditch. Both gap and causeway, about 0.6m wide, are slightly mutilated.
As featured on Time Team in January 2004, here’s a snippet from the RCAHMS record for the site:
At the W end of Loch Migdale, some 60 yards from the shore, is an islet which appears to be artificial. It is formed of boulders laid on clay and is some 63’ in diameter. The loch is shallow towards the landward side, but deep on the outer sides. The island is said to have been occupied in 1630.
Preceeding the excitement of the Time Team excavation here’s what the Channel 4 web site had to say about the site and the programme:
Excavating underwater, the Team, including crannog expert Nick Dixon, has to carefully remove sections of the rubble mound. These are outlined by scaffold poles, which act as guides for the limits of the trenches. The Team concentrates on two areas – one about a metre underwater on the perimeter of the site, and the other just centimetres beneath the surface on the main crannog platform. Waterlogged samples of timber planks and stakes are discovered, which are later dated to the Iron Age and, together with charcoal and bone finds, indicate settlement activity.
This cairn is listed by the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust at the grid reference SH66391355 as ‘cairn’ of a period ‘unknown’. It looks like a ring cairn, but according to Coflein it’s usually enterpretted as a damaged round cairn:
A round cairn, 22m in diameter & 1.0m high, defined by a stoy bank, thought to be a disturbed round cairn, rather than a ring cairn. Has been suggested to have been a cockpit.
The cairn isn’t marked on the Ordnance Survey Landranger map, but it is marked on the Explorer (number 23).
These stones are listed by the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust:
Stone II is at grid reference SH66421363 “Standing Stone – Cairn”. I think this is an amalgamation of two records, one for the standing stone and one for Hafotty-Fach Ring Cairn. This may be a misinterpretation.
Stone I is at grid reference SH66601365, but they also list a third stone nearby at SH66591364. I can see some scope for confusion identifying one from the other in the field as they’re very close to each other. As I’ve failed to locate either, I can’t really help clarify the situation. Strangely neither of these sites appear to be listed by the RCAHMW.
Both these stones are marked on the Ordnance Survey Landranger map.
This stone is listed by the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust as a prehistoric standing stone, but Coflein describes it as the remains of two cairns (this reflects the RCAHMW records). I can also see how it might be interpreted as a natural outcrop.
I’ve plucked the name of this stone out of the sky because it doesn’t appear to have one (Plas Cregennen was a house that stood nearby until 1991 – now marked by a modern carved stone). The eight figure grid reference for Plas Cregennen Stone is SH65941450. This is based on the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust records, but having visited the site I’d say it’s much more useful than the four figure reference (at the top of the page), which is a bit misleading.
At the site there is a small information board with strangely out of place images of Stonehenge on it. Why there are no pictures of the Ballaharra Stones as they were found I’m not sure. The text on the board is rather more relevant (links added by me):
In 1971 whilst an extension to the Ballaharra Sandpit was taking place, a chambered tomb and an extensive cremation deposit was discovered.
Sadly the chamber had been disturbed but it was excavated by Miss Sheila Cregeen a local archaeologist from Peel and was discovered to be one of the islands ten megalithic tombs.
The tomb appeared to have had two chambers and was thought to have belonged to the same Neolithic tradition as Cashtal yn Ard in Maughold and King Orry’s Grave at Laxey.
A fine range of flint implements and pottery, including some with distinctive decoration were discovered, similar to articles only previously found at Meayll Circle. An urn from the Bronze Age was also found.
Ballaharra was the most important site on the Island for Neolithic pottery.
The site yielded radio carbon dates of circa 2300B.C.
Six large stones were found, unfortunately two were crushed and the four remaining stones were kindly donated to German Parish Commissioners by Keith and Alan Corlett who now own the Ballaharra Sandpit.
The Commissioners re erected the stones on this site (which was the old Village Pinpound) as a Millennium project in 2000/2001. Further details and information can be obtained from the Manx Museum.
Personally I don’t think this set of stones is prehistoric, but Julian does. He included them in the Modern Antiquarian book, enterpretting them as a Christianised stone row.
There’s some debate as to how old Tynwald Hill is, and what it originally represented. The web site Isleofman.com has this to say about the origins of the hill:
The mound is nowadays thought originally to have been a burial mound of the Bronze Age. Similar sites were found throughout the Scandinavian lands and are said to have been raised as altars to the god Thor. From religious sites they developed into places where people of a community gathered together.
The hill has never been excavated, so nobody really knows. A burial cist was discovered near Tynwald Hill (50 yards to the north) and some people believe that this (not the existing hill) represents the site of a mound, which was re-used as the original parliamentary meeting place. Presumably this theory places the existing hill within the Viking period.
An article in the Journal of Manx Museum has this to say about The Kew:
The monument at the Kew, when it is further examined, is likely to reveal resemblances with Brittany and the west of the Iberian peninsula.
Not a lot to go on really. I’m glad it’s not just me that finds this site confusing.
This site is a reconstruction of a cist found nearby:
The original site was exposed in 1993 by the waters of a nearby reservoir and consisted of nine stone-lined burial chambers. In addition to fragmentary human remains these contained decorated pottery vessels, worked flints and some of the earliest pieces of lead yet found in Britain. Lead occurs naturally at West Linton and the pieces found took the form of beads, which had been combined with shale discs in a necklace for a small child. This site may be reached on one of a network of paths which radiates from the West Linton Village.
Source: The Scottish Borders Heritage Web site
In Clearance & Examination of Stone Building on Copa Hill (SCMC Journal No.2), Colin Armfield writes:
The historical evidence for mining at Cwmystwyth begins with the opencast workings at the top of Copper Lode on Copa Hill, to the south of Kingside Lode. This area has provided dates of approximately 1500BC.
From Colin Armfield’s Web Site.
Within the fortifications of the Iron Age hillfort at Balladoole lie a Bronze Age Cist (SC24666819) a Viking ship burial (SC24716818) and an early Christian Keeil (SC24646817).
The Manx Museum and National Trust plaque next to the remains of the tomb says:
BALLAFAYLE CAIRN
REMAINS OF NEOLITHIC BURIAL SITE, 2000 TO 1500 B. C. WEDGE SHAPED CAIRN,
CONTAINING MANY STONES FUSED BY HEAT.
BOUNDED BY DRY-STONE WALLING ON ONE SIDE. CREMATED BURIALS FOUND IN CAIRN.
CONCAVE BANK WITH STANDING STONES ON
THIS SIDE* OF CAIRN BORDERS A PAVED
FORE-COURT.
EXCAVATED 1926
* The western side.
Here’s what the little Manx Museum and National Trust plaque next to the tomb says:
CASHTAL YN ARD
REMAINS OF BURIAL SITE OF NEW STONE AGE CIRCA 1800 B. C.
ORIGINALLY COVERED BY GREAT CAIRN OF STONE, WITH SEMI-CIRCULAR OPEN FORECOURT AT WESTERN END. A PORTAL FROM THE FORECOURT LED TO FIVE BURIAL CHAMBERS WITHIN THE CAIRN.
That about sums it up.
Mavis Grind is a narrow strip of land that joins the north western part of Mainland Shetland with the larger southern part. It’s now approximately 100 meters wide, but according to the Modern Antiquarian it was about half a mile wide during the Neolithic period. On nearby Virdins Hill, on the north west cliff overlooking Mavis Grind, walls and foundations were found (Neolithic?). Julian lists the numerous prehistoric finds have been made on the Grind itself:
...saddle querns made of granite, potlids of micaceous sandstone, whetstones, and small polishers made of softer rocks, grinders, pestles, hammerstones and pounders, all made of tougher igneous and metamorphic rocks.
The evidence seems to point towards the importance of Mavis Grind as a routeway between the two parts of the island, in use for thousands of years.
According to Magic these barrows are of a type contemporary to the Roman occupation of Britain, of which only 150 or so remain in the UK. Apparently the earliest accounts of the Six Hills describe them as having surrounding ditches and outer ditches (now gone). Originally they would have been steep sided conical mounds.
Carrig Slic is a lost stone, which I’ve tried on numerous occasions to find. By the time it was engulfed by the forestry plantation (possibly during the 1950s) it had already fallen, and nobody really knows what happened to it after that. Here’s what little I could glean from records at the NMRW:
On the southern side of Mynydd March, approximately 150 yards north of Lluestfach Farmhouse. It stands on land sloping westwards and on the northern side of a col.
Now prostrate, but was standing in living memory. 9’ 6” in length. Has drill marks on it from failed attempt to convert to gate post.
The grid reference that we have for the stone is only approximate (SN71908355). In 2003 the forest in this area was clear felled, but sadly this didn’t reveal the stone. If it lies slightly to the south then it may be buried under a forestry track, or if it’s a bit further south it may still be in remaining forestry. The name Carrig Slic means ‘the slippery stone’, which seems wholly appropriate.
Gwynedd Archaeological Trust list this site as TUMULUS (REMS. OF), N. OF BARCLODIAD Y GAWRES, so I’ve renamed it Port Nobla Cairn, after the beautiful beach just to the north of it. If there’s a proper name for this tump, I’ll do the gentlemanly thing.