Banc y Celyn, Brecknockshire - Royal Commission on the Ancient ...

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Uplands Initiative – <strong>Banc</strong> y <strong>Celyn</strong> 2008The Llyn Pen y Lan cairn has been recorded by CPAT as a boundary cairn, but whenvisited in 2009, it was felt that it was more likely to be a funerary cairn. This slightlyoval cairn is intact and measures 4.6m x 4m and is up to 0.5m high. It sits close to theCrickadarn and Merthyr Cynog parish boundary and has probably served as a boundarymarker, but there is no reason to doubt that it predates the boundary. The parishboundaries within the study area are marked by 19 th century boundary stones, andalthough they occasionally make use of pre-existing cairns, there is no evidence thatmounds or cairns were specifically raised as markers.The <strong>Banc</strong> y <strong>Celyn</strong> survey has added 4 funerary cairns and 4 possible funerary cairns tothe NMR for the first time (see Table 5, p.40), which is a significant increase in view ofthe relatively low number of previously recorded funerary monuments. Most of thenew sites are to the north of those previously known, including several to the north ofthe Nantyroffeiriad stream, the first such sites to be recognised in the northern half ofthe study area.The 4 newly recorded sites thought to be funerary cairns are;• Cefn Gledwen, Cairn II - NPRN 247198: This cairn is mostly composed of small,well-packed stones and measures c. 7m east-west x 6.5m and is up to 0.25m high.These smaller stones seem to form a distinctive ring, c.1m wide, around the edge ofthe cairn. Within, and partly on top of this ring, several larger blocks of stone areseen. These may be the result of recent field clearance activity, as there are severalrecent clearance cairns in the vicinity.• Cefn Gledwen, Cairn I - NPRN 247197: This small cairn is composed of wellpacked,small stones, and measures 5m north-south x 4m, being up to 0.25m high. Itis oval in plan, with a stony bank forming the southern side. The northern side islower. A rectilinear cist-like feature was exposed in the interior of the southern halfof the cairn, measuring c.1m x 0.5m. This feature, and the general character of thecairn, suggests that this is a Bronze Age funerary cairn, rather than a clearance cairn.• Nantyroffeiriad Fawr, Cairn I - NPRN 247224: This stone cairn measures 9.5mby 8.5m and is up to 0.50m high. It consists of small, well packed stones with largerblocks piled on its southern side as the result of modern stone clearance. (Theunderlying cairn is thought to be a funerary cairn.)• Gwaun Ymryson, Cairn IV - NPRN 247251: This stone cairn measuresapproximately 4m in diameter and is 0.25m high. The cairn body consists of smallstones with a pile of larger blocks, 0.50m high in its southeast quadrant, which maybe part of the original cairn structure.The 4 possible funerary cairns recorded for the first time are relatively minor structures,Each seem to be the result of human activity. They are;• Nantyroffeiriad Fawr, Cairn III - NPRN 247215: A low stone cairn, 2.5m indiameter and 0.20m high. It consists of small, packed stones with one larger stonetowards its northern edge.36
Uplands Initiative – <strong>Banc</strong> y <strong>Celyn</strong> 2008• Nantyroffeiriad Fawr, Cairn II - NPRN 247216: A low stone cairn, 2m indiameter and 0.15m high. It consists of small, packed stones with some disturbanceat its southern edge.• Gwaun Ymryson, Cairn III - NPRN 247252: This small stone cairn lies on theopen common, just to the east of Twyn y Post and within a few hundred metres ofthe larger cairns NPRNs 305781, 305782 & 305783. It measures c.2m by 1.25mand is only 0.15m high, but it appears to be a man made feature.• Blaen Gwenddwr, Ring Cairn? - NPRN 247263: This site was obscured by deadbracken when recorded in 2009, but appeared to be a low stone ring on the top of asmall spur. The stone ring was up to 1.5m wide and the site measured 7m wide by6.5m overall. Interpretation of the feature was difficult but it may be a very denudedring cairn.Plate 17: One of several funerary cairns identified during the snows of February 2009,when they stood out in the landscape. This example, NPRN 247251, is at Gwaun Ymryson.37
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