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Bron y Foel Isaf

Burial Chamber

<b>Bron y Foel Isaf</b>Posted by postmanImage © Chris Bickerton
Nearest Town:Barmouth (9km SSE)
OS Ref (GB):   SH608246 / Sheet: 124
Latitude:52° 48' 2.03" N
Longitude:   4° 3' 54.05" W

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Fieldnotes

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It's been nearly four years since my last confession to Bron y Foel Isaf.
I am now fully prepared to accept Moelfre as a sacred hill, or at least a mother hill, a focal point, I think all the sites seen today have had a view of cairn topped Moelfre.
In the opposite direction to mother hill is the far away looking Lleyn peninsula, floating mysteriously in the air, itself dotted with lots of burial chambers.
The wall is very unsteady around the dolmen, stones moving under every movement, be careful, or don't, even push the confounded wall over maybe.
postman Posted by postman
5th December 2016ce

Not been here for seven years and somehow I only have two pictures of it, mostly I was trying to refind the nearby cairn circle of Waun Hir, unsuccessfully might I add, so I parked the car up the road and spent some time here at this partially collapsed portal dolmen.
From the roadside the capstone looked like a big shark leaping over the wall, toothless mouth wide open. From on this side of the wall you can see the only other two remaining chamber stones, the left hand portal stone and the blocking door stone.
On the other side of the wall, after crossing with care it's only very loosely made, you can see what could be remains of cairn material trailing behind the capstone. The capstone is a very big specimen indeed, rounded at the back end and more pointy at the front, it seems to point or be aligned on the nearby cairn topped Moelfre.
I struggle to class Moelfre as a sacred hill, there are two standing stones to the south and the west has Waun hir cairn circle (Bah!) and this dolmen, but what if there was once more. Its rounded and stand alone appearance make this a very memorable landmark.
postman Posted by postman
6th January 2013ce

Not expecting much from this, to be honest, but - particularly following on from the fine Cors y Gedol cromlech during the morning - I guess I should have known better. Suffice to say that as soon as I arrived, any plans for any additional visits that day were quickly abandoned. I like it here.

A morning of heavy, low cloud had put paid to thoughts of climbing Cadair Idris, prompting the next best thing in my eyes - a dolmen hunt! Bron y Foel Isaf is one of the most obscure around, and sure enough I end up taking a very minor road past Byrdir Farm.... very picturesque, but the five or so road gates in about a quarter of a mile do become just a tad tedious. Eventually I arrive on the minor road I should have taken and, passing Caerffynnon farm on the right, park at the staggered crossroads beyond. This is already occupied, but the car occupants look at me blankly when I enquire if they are looking for the dolmen, asking instead whether they are allowed to open the gates across the road. OK....

Follow the dead end road and take the right hand fork until the capstone appears within the wall to your right. Initially a bit of an anti-climax, climb the wall into the heavily overgrown field and the true substance of the capstone will reveal itself. Wondrous. To be honest I'm not sure whether this was a 'standard' chamber, now collapsed, or one of the sub-megalithic types? I assume the former?

Whatever it's a good-un, not too dissimilar to Gwern Einion before its recent consolidation.
GLADMAN Posted by GLADMAN
23rd September 2009ce

From the A496 turn east in Coed-Ystungwern heading for Cwm Nantcol but instead of turning left go straight on through one or two gates and the chamber is set in a wall on the right .There is no-where to park and the wall must be climbed to inspect the whole place. Big capstone one orthostat and short door stone . Nice place, come before the bracken takes over postman Posted by postman
17th June 2007ce
Edited 4th January 2013ce

Folklore

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According to C. Grooms (The Giants of Wales. Cewri Cymru Welsh Studies Vol. 10 (Lampeter, 1993)) this stone was one of three thrown by Arthur from the top of Moelfre.

see
http://www.arthuriana.co.uk/concepts/folkgazt.htm
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
8th November 2005ce
Edited 8th November 2005ce