Miscellaneous Posts by Kammer

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.

...possibly a reference to the rich pasture land in the area.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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).

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.

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

Maengwyngweddw (White-widow Stone) is a striking white quartz boulder about 3ft high and with a circumference of 6ft 8ins…

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.

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.