
Detail of some of the cups.
Detail of some of the cups.
The almost strange copse/pool which the cup marked stones sits by.
Looking back east. spot the x marks the spot
Cupmarked stone with Glyndwrs mount directly above.
Cupmarked stone is the nearest one, and from here looks like its part of a stone circle or something. but isnt.
The cupmarked stone is the one on the left.
Owain Glyndwrs mount in the background.
From on top of Glyndwr’s mount.
Visited 11.12.11
Apart from anything else I wanted to visit this site as I have read a fair bit about Owain Glyndwr and wanted to visit the place where he lived and was proclaimed Prince of Wales in 1400 (the English burnt his house down in 1403)
What a lovely location to live.
Obviously, whilst I was there it would have been neglect of me not to go searching for the cup marked stone!
The directions given by Postman are spot on.
The stone is easy enough to spot right next to the ‘spiky’ grass – near a couple of other stones.
I think I managed to spot 15 cup marks – but I could be wrong!
For at least twenty five years ive driven past this place at least five times a year, not knowing at all about the rock art, but being vaguely interested in the big motte looking mound, I was always on my way to or from somewhere else and there isnt any where good to park, so it was shelved as visit pending.
But it is maybe the closest rock art to where I live, or maybe its some place in the Peak district, either way, as soon as I knew of the rock art it went from visit pending to, I gotta get out there as quick as possible.
Bank holidays dont often coincide with having some money, so out I went with this place at the top of the list.
Driving past is different to it being your final destination, there is actually somewhere to park right next to the mount, with stiles, permissive footpaths and all. Watch out crossing over the road it gets very busy on August bank holiday monday, but theyre all going somewhere so you should have the place to yourself.
Owain Glyndwr has famous places all over North Wales from where he was married to where he lived. This is where he lived.
He couldnt have picked a prettier place, if we take out the railway track and make the road into a medieval trackway, it is a beautiful place. Standing on the flat topped mount, looking over a bend in the river Dee to the llantysilio mountains it would be easy to sit all afternoon watching the cars go past, or the occasional steam train from Llangolen.
From on top of the mount walk east about 120 yards parallel to the road, our view north to the river and mountains is now blocked by trees. but keep going till you reach a small copse of wool trees (sheeps wool that is) sitting in a moated area the cupmarked stone is on the other side.
It is not the only stone here, infact its the smallest stone in a row or arc of bigger stones making it look like its part of a bigger monument, it isnt, I read somewhere that they had all been moved here.
The cupmarked stone is maybe two feet long and one and a half foot wide, it has I think fourteen cupmarks on it.
Rock art being quite rare in Wales, it feels really out of place and as the stone is sufficently small enough to be carried, one cant help wondering whence it came. Also with it being on Royal grounds as it were is it part of some royal something or other, I hesitate in saying king making rituals. Damn I said it anyway.
Plus its always good to find some roack art where Tiompan hasnt been. Yaaay me!!!