The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

     

Cairn with kerb

Kerbed Cairn

<b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheatImage © A. Brookes (9.11.2022)
Also known as:
  • Tal-y-Waen kerbed cairn

Nearest Town:Dolgellau (4km ENE)
OS Ref (GB):   SH69621666 / Sheet: 124
Latitude:52° 43' 53.13" N
Longitude:   3° 55' 51.94" W

Added by postman


Discussion Topics0 discussions
Start a topic



Show map   (inline Google Map)

Images (click to view fullsize)

Add an image Add an image
<b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by GLADMAN <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by thesweetcheat <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman <b>Cairn with kerb</b>Posted by postman

Fieldnotes

Add fieldnotes Add fieldnotes
At length, having crossed the worst of the wetness we head for the first of the group, the cairn with kerb. This turns out to be a real beauty. The top has been scooped out, inevitably. But around its base, to my surprise and elation, is a wonderfully intact kerb of stones. Some are practically hidden by gorse, but can be seen after pushing the spiky shoots aside. The stones appear to be graded, with the larger blocks (and they are large) on the southwestern side, the smallest on the northeast. Postie comments that you don’t expect to find Clava cairns in North Wales, and indeed it is very reminiscent of such structures. Alternatively, with internal mound removed the stones would be sufficiently large and widely spaced to make for a very convincing freestanding stone circle.

The OS map shows another cairn in the group lying “in” the wall to the north of the kerbed effort, so we head off in search. But after a bit of walking up and down, along the wall, we have to admit defeat. There is however a lovely view northeast across the Afon Mawddach valley to the conical Rhobell Fawr and even further to the distant Arenigs. [A post-visit check of Coflein offers no additional help, the sum total of description is “round cairn”.]
thesweetcheat Posted by thesweetcheat
4th March 2012ce
Edited 4th March 2012ce

Another unimaginatively named cairn by Coflein.
As this cairn is furthest from the car it seems they were saving the best till last, though why a kerb cairn is better than a round cairn I couldnt possibly say, yes I can its because it's got a kerb, they're a little bit more interesting.
The Welsh government should make a council of tidy monuments, headed by myself we would visit ancient monuments great and small and if it is deemed that a tidy up operation is necessary then my team and me would come in and spend all day weeding and tidying, when weve finished a sign post would be fixed up by the road attracting visitors to these newly revealed ancient monuments, and people would say "wow I didnt know these were here" and they would wonder, sometimes aloud, why they built them here and who and for what reason, then I could smile and know that my job here is done.
Untill then we'll carry on regardless.
The kerbing is most easily seen at the west through to the northern edges of thercairn,gorse clings to the edges of the cairn without mercy hiding most of the intersting kerb stones, the interior has been badly robbed for the walls nearby no doubt. Right next to the kerb and round cairn is a hill with a terrific view, down to all the cairns big and small and over to the mountain Cadair Idris and in the opposite direction down into the Mawddach valley and of into Snowdonia.
Whilst walking we saw a tiny brown lizard probably of the smooth variety, sun bathing it was till it saw Maggie then it wriggled into invisibility.
postman Posted by postman
25th April 2010ce
Edited 12th October 2012ce