Taken 23rd May 2004: From the road to the north east of the stones. Only one of the stone pair can be seen. In the background is Llechdwnni, a 17th Century Manor House.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Kammer
Taken 23rd May 2004: Apologies for the poor quality of this photo. It’s a close-up of the ‘stone pair’ that the NMR describes, taken from the road to the east of Meinillwydion.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 23rd May 2004: The three stones visible from the road that runs to the east of Meinillwydion (indicated by the red arrows).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
From an article published on the BBC News web site on 12th November 2004:
Archaeologists are set to learn about new discoveries at one of Scotland’s most important ancient sites.
Investigators began work at Traprain Law in East Lothian after a major fire in 2003 which damaged some historical remains and endangered others.
The experts called in to carry out a full assessment made a number of finds, including 5,000-year-old Neolithic rock art and Bronze Age axes.
The details will be revealed at a conference in Edinburgh on Saturday.
The NMR record (available through Coflein) gives an account of the alternative names of the chambers, but not a description of the chambers themselves:
There appear to be two discrete tombs here, however the name Bwrdd Arthur is common to both. The more westerly tomb (Dat Prn1698) is also known as Gwaly Filiast, the more easterly (Dat Prn1699) is named for the mountain.
The eight figure grid reference cited on Coflein is SN48541328.
The NMR record (available through Coflein) describes Meinillwydion as a stone pair:
Two erect monoliths, 30m appart. The northern stone is known as ‘the pulpit’. Further stones are noted in the vicinity.
The Landranger Ordnance Survey map implies that there are four stones, and from the road three are visible. The eight figure grid reference cited on Coflein is SN43181019.
Visited 22nd May 2004: We parked on the road to Ferryside that runs to the south of the stone, and followed the footpath to Iscoed Home Farm. After the second fence (the first being the one that runs next to the road) we deviated from the path to take a peek at the standing stone. There were no crops in the field, so we ended up taking a closer look.
Iscoed Standing Stone is large (according to Coflein 2.25 metres tall and approximately 1 metre square in cross section). It’s an extremely solid looking lump of rock! The stone stands below Iscoed Mansion, a beautifully ruined 17th century brick house which looks like it’s being renovated. It’s a lovely spot.
From down by the stone, trees obscure the views west, so you don’t get the impression of being near the Towy Estuary. The proximity of the stone to the estuary, and the stream is interesting (the connection between sources of water and standing stones in the area is re-occurring). In this case, springs rise up in Iscoed (the wood to the east of the stone) and beyond.
Meini Hirion gets no more than a mention on Coflein, but it’s position (SN41210833) suggests a relationship with Afon Gwendraeth. The remains of an Bronze Age/Iron Age enclosure called Penlan Ucha stand nearby (SN41250834).
There’s a bridlepath running to the west of the stone so access may not be too tricky.
At the time of writing, Coflein has no record for this site, but it’s marked on the 1891 Ordnance Survey map as “Maen Llwyd”. A later version of the same map available through Coflein Mapping (undated) has the site marked as “Maen Llwyd (site of)“.
Maen Llwyd stood just below the gentle ridge that runs between Afon Towy and Afon Gwendraetheast. It seems likely that the locations of this stone and it’s neighbour Is-Coed bear some relation with the water courses that run past them.
African Rock Art Under Threat
From an article by Ishbel Matheson, published on the BBC News web site on 9th November 2004:
International experts in early human art are calling for greater protection to save many of these ancient paintings from destruction.
They say rock paintings by early man in Africa are particularly at risk, as human populations grow, and expose sites to vandalism and graffiti.
Near Nairobi this week, experts saw for themselves the problem facing rock art.
Taken 22nd May 2004: This shot is taken from the north east, where the road runs past the mansion house.
The red arrow indicates the standing stone, and in the distance is the Towy Estuary with Llansteffan Castle on the horizon.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 22nd May 2004: It’s hard not to ‘lichen’ Is-Coed standing stone to the mansion on the hill.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 22nd May 2004: Looking at the stone from the south east gives an idea how chunky it is.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 22nd May 2004: Is-Coed viewed from the south west, with the beautifully ruinous Iscoed mansion in the background.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Visited 22nd May 2004: When we got to Maen Llwyd we found that the field it stands in had just been sprayed with manure. Not only that, but the stone itself was plastered in dung. I made a half hearted attempt to get closer to the stone, but it would have been fool-hardy to have gone any further. Poor old Maen Llwyd!
Taken 22nd May 2004: Maen Llwyd covered in manure.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
The NMR record (available through Coflein) gives a very brief description of Carn Owen:
Summit cairn, 12m in diameter, rather amorphous, having shelters constructed in centre and over SW perimeter; small satelite cairns have been noted to the NE.
The author of this text is local archaeologist Stephen Briggs (not his most verbose work).
The NMR record (available through Coflein) describes Disgwylfa Fawr and the notorious canoe type things that were found inside it:
Cairn upon the summit of Disgwylfa Fawr, c.20m in diameter & 3.0m high: trenching, in 1937, reported a ring of slab-stones within the body of the mound, within which were found two dugout tree-trunks of oak, 2.4-2.7m & 1.08m long, these subsequently yielded radio-carbon datescentring on 1910BC & 1350BC respectively; within the smaller dugout were cremated human bones, a flint blade & a ceramic vessel, covered by an animal skin.
The author of this text is the venerable Stephen Briggs.
Taken August 1997: One of the chambers inside the tomb.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Coflein has decided to start working again (if it had been working on Friday then I wouldn’t have been walking round in circles looking for this circle yesterday!) and here’s what it has to say about Y Capel:
Circle of 54 stones, 38 of which were visible in 1980, the remainder being confirmed by probing, one stand over 0.4m high.
The all important bit of information I was missing is the eight figure grid reference: SH99950005
Visited (not) 7th November 2004: Hats off to Treaclechops, I tried paying a visit to Y Capel yesterday and singularly failed to find it. Had both of the boys with me, a 3 wheeler pushchair, only the 6 figure grid reference and failing light. These are my excuses!
Visited 2nd May 2004: Not really a visit as such. Having visted a number of Carn Ingli sites we were heading for the beach when I took this. The stone ramparts are pretty clear, even from the road. I’d definately like to take a closer look.
Taken 2nd May 2004: The view from the road that winds down into Newport (Trefdraeth) from the direction of Bedd Morris.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004:
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Visited 2nd May 2004: Not really a visit as such because we didn’t get up close, but this natural outcrop is a significant landmark in the area to the south of Carn Briw so you can’t easily miss it.
Arts Minister Hails Success of Portable Antiquities Scheme
From an article by David Prudames, published on www.24hourmuseum.org.uk on 26th October 2004:
Last year an incredible 47,000 historic artefacts were found by amateur archaeologists and reported, identified and recorded through the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
From prehistoric weapons to a Victorian antidote to witchcraft, the unearthed objects span almost 500,000 years and were all discovered by metal detectorists, gardeners, farmers, builders or walkers.This extraordinary success was revealed on October 26 at London’s Roman Amphitheatre, where Arts Minister Estelle Morris, announced the publication of the Portable Antiquities Scheme’s Annual Report for 2003/4.
Visited 2nd May 2004: Starting from Carn Briw we headed off in a south south westerly direction, using Carn Edward as our point of reference. To increase our chances of finding things we spread out (not a bad plan, because none of these sites can be seen from a distance).
Louise found Carn Edward II Hut Circle and at almost the same time I found Carn Llwyd IV Hut Circle. I persuaded her to back-track, and we looked at the three Carn Llwyd sites before moving on to look at Carn Edward II. This was a good way of doing things (even though I say so myself) because the smaller Carn Llwyd circles give you an idea how very large their neighbour is.
Coflein implies that, rather than being a hut circle, Carn Edward II represents a roofless enclosure that had two hut circles within it. Alternatively if it is a hut circle, it’s size suggests it would represent either a large communal space or the residence of a very important person. Of these two I favour the former, because the area is relatively vulnerable to attack from high ground to the north (not a great place for a chieftain’s house).
There are two distinct entrances to the circle (see photos), both with visible stones delineating the passageway that intersects the outer bank. The bank itself is well defined, but darned tricky to photograph.
Definitely worth a visit if you’re planning a visit to Carn Ingli Camp. This site and the surrounding sites are subtle, but exciting. The remain obscure even though they’re very close a well trodden footpath. Sit and watch walkers pass-by, oblivious to this little gem (what’s that weirdo doing sitting up there in the heather?).
Visited 2nd May 2004: This is the furthest west of the hut circles in this group, and the third that I saw. It’s pretty small, and built on quite a gradient compared to the others.
Taken 2nd May 2004: From (approximately) the east, the red arrows indicate the apparent boundaries of the site. The figures in the circle are Alfie, Lou and Will.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: The north side of the circle.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: From the north side of the circle, with the second entrance marked by the arrow. The bumps in the distance are Carn Edward.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: On the north west side of the circle is the most obvious ‘entrance’. Here are Alfie, Lou and Will waiting for me to stop taking photos. Carn Edward is in the background.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: The edge of Carn Llwyd VI Hut Circle with Carn Edward in the distance.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: Looking up at Carn Llwyd VII Hut Circle from the south east (or thereabouts).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: From approximately the north west.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken 2nd May 2004: Carn Llwyd IV taken from (approximately) the west, with Lou, Alfie and Will in shot.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Described by Coflein as an enclosure,
c.22m in diameter, with opposing NW and SE entrances, variously described as enclosing unspecified lesser enclosures c.1.8-3.0m in diameter, or ‘two small hut platforms’.
A magic lantern slide from the H.M.J. Underhill Archive showing the North East Circle and “The Altar in the middle” as seen in the late 19th Century.
A magic lantern slide from the H.M.J. Underhill Archive showing Silbury Hill as seen in the late 19th Century (with a shepherd thrown in for free). The slide has the date Sept. 16/95 on it.
A magic lantern slide from the H.M.J. Underhill Archive showing the Cove as seen in the late 19th Century. On the same web site another slide shows the Cove in plan.
A magic lantern slide from the H.M.J. Underhill Archive showing the avenue surrounded by ploughed field in the late 19th Century.
A magic lantern slide from the H.M.J. Underhill Archive showing Adam and Eve in the late 19th Century.
A magic lantern slide from the H.M.J. Underhill Archive showing the Cove in the late 19th Century, firmly embedded in a building!
Visited 2nd May 2004: We approached Carn Briw in a straight line from Carn Ingli Camp. It’s easy to spot on the horizon, but mainly because the cairn material has been seriously re-arranged. From a distance it looks like a crumpled cone.
On closer inspection the extent of the damage is obvious. One side of the cairn has been piled up high, presumably by walkers. Where the cairn remains at something like its original height an enclosure has been made in it.
Despite the mess, Carn Briw is a pleasant place to visit. It’s off the beaten track for most people visiting Carn Ingli, so relatively tranquil. Also well placed for visiting the hut circles to the south west.
Visited 2nd May 2004: We parked north of Bedd Morris (approximately SN039367) and after a picnic lunch headed of to find the hillfort. The route I’d chosen was based purely on keeping the gaps between the contour lines as small as possible (with Alfie on my back I had a good excuse). It took about an hour to get to the fort, but that was at William’s walking speed.
The fort is an impressive but disorientating jumble of rock. We approached when the cloud was low, so it wasn’t possible to see the summit of the hill even from close up. There is an entrance to the fort, which would have been the best place to get into it, but we only figured this out once we’d clambered over the ramparts at the south end. The terrain inside the fort is tricky, and not recommended for anyone with limited mobility. It was fun to explore, but the drop to the east was significant enough to worry me.
There’s at least one discernable rampart within the boundary of the fort, and something that looks a lot like a hut circle. Outside the boundaries of the fort, especially to the east, are a number of structures that represent huts and areas of cultivation contemporary with the fort. As with everything at Carn Ingli, it’s tricky to figure out what’s what.
From an article by David Prudames, published on www.24hourmuseum.org.uk on 21st September 2004:
Experts have voiced their concerns about the future of prehistoric rock carvings on a boulder being used by climbers in the north of England.
Copt Howe, a large rock near the village of Chapel Stile in the Lake District, boasts a series of cup and ring markings believed to have been created between 4,000 and 6,000 years ago.
The site is used by climbers for bouldering, a hard-going, gymnastically-challenging form of climbing without the use of ropes on boulders and short out-crops.
Taken May 2nd 2004: Looking east, the cairn with Carn Ingli Camp behind it.
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken May 2nd 2004: Looking down on some of the damage that’s been done to the cairn in modern times. Behind William is a circular enclosure, presumably made as a shelter from the cairn material. In the background are Lou and Alfie (Alfie asleep in the baby back-pack).
Image credit: Simon Marshall
Taken May 2nd 2004: The cairn as viewed from the east. Not a very authentic profile for a round cairn.
Image credit: Simon Marshall