Carn Llechart

Also known as:
Cerrig Pikes
Nearest town:
Ammanford (9km WNW)
OS reference:
SN698063
OS sheet:
160
Latitude:
51° 44' 23.2 N
Longitude:
3° 53' 9.27 W

Images

Image of Carn Llechart (Cairn circle) by thesweetcheat

Looking NW, towards where Mynydd Carnllechart’s highest point may or may not be.

Image credit: A. Brookes (24.9.2011)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 25, 2011
Image of Carn Llechart (Cairn circle) by thesweetcheat

Passage of feet/hooves has eroded the turf outside the circle, revealing the cairn material underneath. If this was originally exposed, it suggests an even more Bryn Cader Faner-ish look to the cairn.

Image credit: A. Brookes (24.9.2011)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Sep 25, 2011
Image of Carn Llechart (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

Can’t see this place being haunted, myself. Too wet for any self-respecting ghost. Nevertheless fabulous...

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Feb 6, 2011
Image of Carn Llechart (Cairn circle) by GLADMAN

The Mam Cymru adds a touch of femininity to the cairn circle....

Image credit: Robert Gladstone
GLADMAN
GLADMAN Jun 17, 2009
Image of Carn Llechart (Cairn circle) by matt saze

Carn Llechart – ring cairn

Film fogging on r hand side. I had another view of the chamber in the middle of the cairn and that also had fogging but down the middle of the frame. It was also a few frames after I took this one, coincidence?

Image credit: Matt Saywell
matt saze
matt saze Aug 15, 2006
Image of Carn Llechart (Cairn circle) by caealun

the sense of History on this hillside in South Wales is absolute.

Image credit: Derfel
caealun
caealun Feb 13, 2006

Articles

Carn Llechart

Ancient Stone Circle Has Made Us Ill, Say Ghost Detectives

Jane
Jane Feb 12, 2004

Report filed Feb 11 2004 by Robin Turner, The Western Mail

A pair of psychic investigators looking at the healing properties of an ancient stone circle claim it has made them seriously ill.

Brian Perinton and mother-of-two Claire Williams visited Carn Llechart stone circle in the Swansea Valley three months ago. They planned to investigate the healing properties and positive energy which standing in the centre of circle, said to have been constructed in around 2,000BC, was reputed to give to people.

Mr Perinton said yesterday, “I have never seen anything like it. Claire was bodily thrown from the centre of the circle by some kind of force. I felt it too. It was like being punched in the stomach.”

“Since our visit we suffered severe headaches, stomach problems, lethargy and general illness. It was almost as if our energy was completely sapped by whatever was in the centre of those stones.”

“We are starting to recover now but we want to find out if anyone else has had similar experiences. We would love to speak to them to find out if the illnesses and general feeling of weakness are the same.”

“Then we can start some kind of scientific investigation into what could be causing this.”

Mr Perinton, 65, and Ms Williams, 32, run a ghost detective agency in Swansea and have been called to offices, houses and other buildings in which owners or occupants claim to be troubled by spirits or apparitions.

In a recent mission they helped a pub in Neath to rid itself of an angry spirit, said to have been the ghost of a former regular who did not want to leave.

Carn Llechart stone circle, high above Pontardawe, is said to be one of the finest examples of a stone ring cairn or burial chamber in Wales.

The unusual circle is 40ft across and consists of 25 stones leaning slightly outwards giving a crown of thorns effect.

No one is entirely certain why the stone circles were created but they are a Celtic phenomenon. Archaeologists believe they could be giant calendars with stone shadows tracing the alignment of the moon and sun.

It could be the stones are tributes to the dead buried in the circle and some have even speculated they could be used to harness the energy of ley lines, thought to be lines of magnetic energy running across the earth.

Professor Clive Ruggles, of the University of Leicester, says great care is needed in interpreting them.

He said, “Just because a monument is aligned in a certain direction we might be tempted to interpret it as astronomically significant.”

“But the Bronze Age people were not astronomers as we know the term today. However, celestial cycles and objects were extremely important to them.”

Certain circular tombs in Britain have been found to point towards the rising sun and winter solstices.

Many believe stone circles have magic or healing powers, so much so that English Heritage was forced many years ago to fence off the country’s best known stone circle, Stonehenge.

Scientists have carried out experiments at a variety of stone circles finding that the huge rocks tend to generate their own weak magnetic fields. But whether these can combine at certain times of the year as some pagans claim, so as to concentrate energy at a central point, has never been proved.

Mr Perinton said, “We would like anyone who has had a similar experience to contact our agency so we can build up a picture of what is happening.”

The agency’s number is 01792 417693.

Carn Llechart

C
CARL May 20, 2014

Visited 16.5.14

‘Save the best to last’ as they say – and I certainly did.

I hadn’t planned on re-visiting the mighty Carn Llechart but as I was driving past the temptation proved too much. As before I parked up near the yellow grit bin and headed across the moorland towards the stones. Despite not having visited this site for a few years I had no problem finding it. Isn’t it funny how you can return to site years later and remember exactly how to get to it and at the same time be unable to remember where you just left your ‘phone / pen / cup of tea etc!

The place is just how I remembered it. This has to be in the top 10 sites in South Wales. It is fantastic. If you have never visited please try to do so – you are in for a treat. The weather was beautiful and I happily sat down with my back against one of the stones to have my lunch. In front of me was the large cist (bigger than I remembered) and beyond that fine views into the distance. The only sound was of birdsong and the occasional bleating of lambs – bliss!

I could have stayed here all day but I knew before long I would have to start the journey home to pick the children up from school and return to the ‘normal’ world. I stayed until the last possible moment before leaving with a heavy heart.

One thing of possible concern was the tractor / 4x4 tracks running very close to the stones. Very close indeed. The other thing was the kitchen units dumped next to the stone wall alongside the track leading back to the car. Why do people go to all the effort to dump things way out here when it would be far easier to take to a council dump? Still, I suppose it wouldn’t be a South Wales site with some rubbish being dumped in/next to it. I continue to despair……………

Carn Llechart

postman
postman Jun 17, 2010

The first time I came here the weather was really against us, the fog which was thick was only penatrated by the sideways rain, needless to say we didnt do much photography that day, so I took advantage of the recent and uncharacteristically good weather, borrowed the day voles lightweight ladders, and started the long drive down at 2am-ish.
Just over four hours later and Eric, Arthur and me with ladders were taking the short route to the ring (not like last time), bathed in early morning sunshine and captivated by the dawn chorus that surrounds us, up here above it all.
As Eric has taken possession of my old camera, instead of holding the dog whilst I shimmy up[ and down the ladders he insists on doing as I do and follows me meticulously, getting all the same shots as me.
The ladders were a really good idea here as much of the rings perimeter is obscured by that nice thick grass that grows so well on Welsh hillsides, attaining a much better appreciation of the ring and it’s surroundings from ten feet up has lots going for it.
Maybe it was the sunshine or the joy of a long overdue outing but I really liked it here, theres not much reason to leave either as its not well visited especially at 7 in the morning, so we sat here unhindered for over two hours.

Carn Llechart

C
CARL May 10, 2010

Visited (again) 9.5.10.
Back again – as I forgot to look at the burial chamber on my last visit! – and I didn’t manage to take Dafydd to Dan-Y-Ogof as promised as we both fell into the steam when visiting Cerrig Doun and the Maen Mawr!!! So, whilst in the area a chance for a repeat visit. As per my previous notes, there is an easier way to find the site. Once you have parked, keep following the field surrounded by a stone wall (on your left) until you reach the SECOND metal field gate. From here, if you look uphill, you can just about see the top of a couple of stones sticking out above the spikey grass – only a 5 minute walk uphill.
Since my last visit floral ‘offerings’ had been placed in the central cist.

Carn Llechart

C
CARL May 4, 2010

Visited 1.5.10.
First, directions which I hope will be helpful:
As you drive north through Rhyd-Y-Fro village you will see a pub on your right called the Traveller’s Well. Immediately after the pub there is a small turning to your left – take this lane. Follow this lane north and you will eventually go over a cattle grid. Just after the cattle grid is a sharp turning to the left. Take this turning and follow the lane uphill (very sharp turns so take it slow) until you come to a yellow salt grit box – park here. Follow the stone field wall around (to the right) until you reach the metal field gate. From here head out across the moorland aiming slightly to the left of the highest point. As you near the peak you should see the top of the stones peeking out above the ‘spikey’ grass. The walk will onle take about 10 minutes – NO gorse!!
I really enjoyed this site – better than expected – with wonderful views. Dafydd particularly seemed to enjoy himself playing amongst the stones and was very reluctant to leave. Despite the forecasted rain the weather was dry, with some sunshine and no wind. A lovely place to visit but I am sure the walk would be very boggy after rain.
The cist in the centre of the circle is about 5ft x 3ft and has 3 of its stone sides still remaining.

Carn Llechart

Jane
Jane Dec 29, 2005

In February 2004 I posted this news item. I’ve been keen to visit this site ever since. I have no idea what Brian Perinton and Claire Williams felt when they visited Carn Llechart, but I didn’t feel anything except relief to have found the monument and cold because the breeze was arctic! The monument itself is completely alluring and very beautiful. A ring of stones – once the outer walls of a cairn, not a stone circle – stand exposed now without any internal material to support. In the middle is a lovely stone deep stone cist with big flat slabs.

Today in weak midwinter sunlight and with frost picking the flakiness of the stones it looked gorgeous.

Did I mention the views from up here? Wow!! Thankfully you can drive almost to the very top of this hill, leaving just a short walk of 500ms or so.

Carn Llechart

W
witchy Feb 16, 2004

I have read everything that has been posted, and would like to add that I visit this place regular and have found no ill affects when visiting, in fact quiete the contrary... I find the energy there is very warm and welcoming, not at all malicious, I leave with a renewed sense of wellbeing.

This place must have held some significance at some time as there are also remains of two stone cairns further accross the mountain and I have read that there is a possibility of a burial chamber just over from the ring cairn.
I would also be interested in finding more information about this site, if anyone has any.

Carn Llechart

C
Claire1ok Nov 9, 2003

I have read your fieldnotes regarding Carn Llechart. I love to visit this site and do so regularly, since being shown it by some local people some time ago. The alter stone, or flat stone from the top of central chamber now lies about 100 yards away from stone circle. Unfortunately, this was apparently removed by the gas board a few years ago. If you look in the farm field to the south west of circle, you will see another stone circle with much larger stones. This was constructed by the gas board to stop the farmers cows from rubbing against the machinery that was stored there. This was going to be the use for the large flat stone. This circle is often mistaken for the original stone circle by many people. I have actually been toying with the idea of setting up a project to return the stone to it’s rightful place. Another interesting thing is that the lady who took me there remembers going to the circle as a child and the centre chamber had a sulphur spring underneath. She recalls the strong smell of sulphur that used to be all those years ago.

Carn Llechart

Chris Collyer
Chris Collyer Mar 31, 2002

I had real problems finding this strange monument, I drove up and down the main road before finding the tiny side road that twists and turns up the hillside. Then took the wrong track and spent a long time crawling over the steep slopes in less than favourable weather. It occured to me that if I slipped and tumbled down the hill I might not be found for days!
I had just about given up on finding the stones and headed back across the crest of the hill only to find myself walking straight through the middle of the circle – I really must learn to map-read better :)

Carn Llechart

dickie
dickie Sep 4, 2001

Situated high above Pontardawe, visited this site in lunch time from Swansea Enterprise Park (beats a sandwich and a coffee). Views are spectacular, the cairn is situated just over the brow of the hill.. The road up zig-zags but the u-bends have plenty of space to have a couple of goes at getting round. The central cist/chamber is only couple of yards square and there appears to be another collapsed chamber although it could just be some re-arranged dry-stone wall rubble. Sadly had to get back to work. Another to re-visit.

Miscellaneous

Carn Llechart
Cairn circle
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Jan 18, 2025

I hope you will bear with me, as this is rather random, but it struck me as being the 1847 equivalent of The Modern Antiquarian website, with its encouragements to visit and share experiences of an ancient site, and also some instructions on how to get there. I particularly like that the efforts will “secure a day’s gratification”. I’m sure ladies would have also been welcome assuming they’d finished making the dinner, etc.

To the Editors of the Archaeologia Cambrensis.
Gentlemen, – Will you be kind enough to permit me through your medium to request some of the antiquaries of Swansea and its neighbourhood, to forward you a description, and whatever account may be procurable, of Carn Llechart. It will be found on the hill side, near the top ridge, indeed, of Mynydd Marn Coch, in the parish of Llangyfelach. From Swansea, the way to it is up the vale to Pontardawe, and then a lane on the left may be safely followed for a mile or so; a question addressed to the first cottager will then put the tourist right in the way of the circle, which he will find in a state of almost perfect preservation. If my friend Geo. Grant Francis, Esq. would give a day to this good work, he would at once secure to himself a day’s gratification and serve the cause for the promotion of which you so devotedly and successfully labour.
I am, Gentlemen, yours truly, D. Rhys Stephen. Grove Place, Manchester, 21 Sept. 1847

Archaeologia Cambrensis, v2 (1847).

Topics

calling danieljackson 1
fitzcoraldo
fitzcoraldo
Apr 2006
Punchline needed 3
nigelswift
nigelswift
Feb 2004

Sites within 20km of Carn Llechart

Like all websites everywhere, we use cookies.