Coed Fenni-fach

Nearest town:
Brecon (3km E)
OS reference:
SO01402945
OS sheet:
160
Latitude:
51° 57' 15.47 N
Longitude:
3° 26' 5.9 W
Added to TMA by

Images

Image of Coed Fenni-fach (Hillfort) by thesweetcheat

Coed Fenni-fach (left) and Pen y Crug (right), dominating the western approach to Brecon. Seen from Slwch Tump, the third of the three hillforts encircling the town.

Image credit: A. Brookes (11.2.2012)
thesweetcheat
thesweetcheat Feb 15, 2012

Articles

Folklore

Coed Fenni-fach
Hillfort
Rhiannon
Rhiannon Apr 18, 2013

It’s possible this story relates to the fort (or indeed, it could relate to the Roman one of Cicucium, upriver). Whichever, you’d imagine the grain would be pretty manky. Which makes you wonder if it’s a remembrance of a real discovery somewhere here, combined with the stories of the saint?

Whilst Cadoc studied at Llanspyddid, famine raged in the land, and the master and his pupils were put to straits for food. However, Cadoc observed a mouse carrying a grain of wheat. He succeeded in catching it, and borrowing a thread from a widow, tied it to the foot of the little creature and let it run; whereupon it darted into a hole. Cadoc dug on the spot, and discovered an underground chamber stored with grain. Such secret granaries were by no means uncommon, and are found in many ancient Welsh, Irish and Scottish forts. Or it may have been that one of the hypocausts that have been discovered at Y Gaer had been used as a storehouse for grain. On this supply the master and his pupils were able to live for some time.

From ‘The Lives of the British Saints‘, volume 2, by Sabine Baring-Gould (1908).

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