Half a mile east of Rhayader on the north side of the A44 is this large conifer coated heavily eroded barrow, it's about fifty yards from the road, not much parking there except on grassy sloping verge, or in front of the gate.
A large grassy mound about a meter and a half tall, by many meters across, time hasn't kept this barrow well, it's well spread out.
No gate to speak of, it was either very open or not there at all, I didn't notice because my gaze was being held by the big old barrow.
As far as incidental barrows go these were quite good, I was just passing through saw them on the map and just had stop and take a minute.
This barrow probably looks quite unassuming. But it does get a mention in volume 2 of Camden's Britannia. He says:
The Wye crosses the west angle of the County; and having its rapid course somewhat abated by the rocks it meets with, and its chanel discontinu'd, it suddenly falls headlong over a steep precipice. Whence the place is called Rhaiadr Gwy, that is, the Cataract or fall of the River Wye. [...] About two furlongs below [the Castle] I observed a large Tumulus or Barrow, call'd from a Chapel adjoyning, Tommen Iban St. Fred: and on the other side, at a farther distance, there are two more, much less than the former, called Krigeu Kevn Keido, vix. the Barrows of Kevn Keido, a place so call'd; where it is suppos'd, there stood heretofore a church, in regard a piece of ground adjoining is call'd Klyttieu'r Eglwys.
This is from p699 of the 1753 version, but he originally published it in 1607. Cefn = a ridge.
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Posted by Rhiannon
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