Dryslwyn Castle

Perched atop a commanding hill in the picturesque Tywi Valley, the remnants of Dryslwyn Castle stand as a testament to one of the most important native Welsh fortifications in South Wales.

Its rich history weaves a tale of raw ambition, fierce conflict, and eventual decline, transforming from a proud symbol of Welsh royalty to an English borough and ultimately into ruins.

Visit Date:August 2022

Dryslwyn Castle

The saga of Dryslwyn begins in the late 12th century, following the death of Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as The Lord Rhys, in 1197. His sons fought fiercely for control of the kingdom of Deheubarth, spurring a struggle that would shape the castle's destiny. While it’s believed that the castle may have been built atop a prehistoric fortification, conclusive archaeological evidence is still elusive.

Dryslwyn Castle

Rhys Gryg is credited with founding the stone castle for his son, Maredudd ap Rhys. This fortification is thought to have existed long before its first recorded mention in 1246, when it was named in the Annales Cambriae, detailing a siege led by the seneschal of Carmarthen.

Dryslwyn Castle : 

Under Maredudd ap Rhys's watch, the castle flourished, undergoing significant expansion including the addition of a middle ward. Upon Maredudd's death in 1271, his son, Rhys ap Maredudd, inherited this strategic stronghold. The landscape outside its walls began to take shape in 1281 when King Edward I granted Rhys the right to host an annual four-day fair, marking the early development of a “proto-Welsh town.”

Dryslwyn Castle : showing the windows of the chapel

However, the turmoil of the War of Welsh Independence cast a shadow over Dryslwyn. In 1283, although Rhys ap Maredudd remained loyal to the English Crown, tensions flared when King Edward I denied him the ancestral seat at Dinefwr Castle. Frustrated by ongoing border disputes, 

Dryslwyn Castle : Inner Ward

Rhys rose in rebellion in June 1287, seizing several local castles and drawing the ire of the English, who mobilized a tremendous force of around 11,000 men to respond.

Dryslwyn Castle : Inner Ward

The ensuing siege of Dryslwyn became a harrowing chapter in its history. For weeks, the English laid siege to the castle, deploying trebuchets and utilizing mining techniques. During one such inspection of their tunneling efforts, the ground crumbled, tragically killing several English nobles. Despite the chaos, the castle fell on September 5, although Rhys managed a daring escape.

Dryslwyn Castle : Detail

Rhys ap Maredudd’s luck ultimately ran out in 1292, when he was captured and executed for treason in York, marking the end of his valiant resistance. In the wake of his defeat, the English Crown transformed the surrounding town into a formal borough, carving out 37 burgage plots aimed at attracting English settlers. 

A section of chimney resting on  a concrete platform

By 1304, the town had burgeoned into a bustling community of 50-55 houses, home to approximately 250-275 people. Yet, this prosperity proved short-lived, with the deadly grip of the plague sweeping through in 1361 and 1369, leaving the town in decline.

Dryslwyn Castle : Detail

The castle saw further action during the Welsh uprising, when Owain Glyndŵr seized it in 1403, but it was soon retaken by English forces. 

Dryslwyn Castle : View over Tywi Valley

Determined to prevent it from becoming a stronghold again, they decommissioned the castle, bricking up the main gatehouse, stripping away its stairs, and ultimately setting it ablaze.

Dryslwyn Castle : View over Tywi Valley

Fast forward to the recent past— in 1966, Dryslwyn Castle earned its designation as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, a nod to its historical importance. Between 1980 and 1985, a significant archaeological excavation uncovered much of the castle’s layout and unearthed fascinating artifacts from the 1287 siege, including stone trebuchet balls and remnants of chain mail. Today, Dryslwyn Castle stands as a hauntingly beautiful relic of its storied past, inviting all who visit to imagine the epic battles and princely ambitions that once echoed through its stone walls.

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Visit Information: -

Google Reference: -

51.862349636532706, -4.10138490818748

What Three Words reference: -

///perfected.cult.founding

OS Details: -

SN 55384 20291 Elevation 68m

Visiting is easy with a dedicated car park (51.862757874378424, -4.103788903426793) and then well sign posted walk across the road to the site.

The site is on a hill, so there is a climb to the castle.

There are no facilities here.

NOTE : Occasionally (as noted on the gate) there will be times when dogs are not allowed to ensure the safety of grazing sheep in the castle grounds.

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Bryn Celli Ddu : The Solar Tomb of Anglesey

Bryn Celli Ddu, which translates from Welsh as the "mound in the dark grove," is a prehistoric monument located on the island of Anglesey. It has a history that spans over 5,000 years and is internationally renowned for its solar alignment, where the rising sun on the Summer Solstice shines directly down its passage to illuminate the inner burial chamber.

Visit Date: May 2023

Bryn Celli Ddu

The monument was constructed in two distinct stages during the late Neolithic period. Around 3,000 BC, it began as a henge, a ritual enclosure consisting of a bank and an inner ditch that measures roughly 21 meters in diameter. This enclosure protected a central area that contained a circle of upright stones. Archaeological evidence from this phase includes a central pit where a small human ear bone was found covered by a flat stone, along with evidence of ritual fires.

Bryn Celli Ddu

During the later stages of the Neolithic period, the henge underwent a significant transformation, evolving into a passage tomb—a type of burial monument that is characteristic of the European Atlantic tradition. The original stone circle was largely dismantled to make way for a meticulously constructed stone-lined passage that extends approximately seven meters in length. This passage leads to a spacious, polygonal central chamber, seamlessly integrated into the earth beneath. Over this intricate structure, the builders heaped a substantial earth mound, which today boasts an impressive diameter of roughly 26 meters, inviting both awe and curiosity from those who encounter it.

Bryn Celli Ddu : Pattern Stone

Externally, archaeologists discovered The Pattern Stone, a stone decorated with spirals and zig-zag carvings, in a pit behind the chamber. Interestingly, the Neolithic builders chose to conceal these carvings from view, suggesting that the act of carving was deemed more significant than the display itself. The original stone is now housed at the National Museum of Wales, with a replica available on-site.

Bryn Celli Ddu : Pillar Stone

Inside the chamber, researchers uncovered several significant items: - The Pillar Stone: A 1.7 meter high smoothed stone pillar stands in the chamber and is often interpreted as a "protectress" or tomb guardian. - Ritual Deposits: Excavations revealed human bones (both burnt and unburnt), flint arrowheads, quartz, and sea shells within the passage.

Bryn Celli Ddu : Inner Tunnel

The most famous aspect of Bryn Celli Ddu’s history is its precise astronomical alignment. Although astronomer Sir Norman Lockyer first proposed the theory of a solstice alignment in 1907, it was not officially proven until investigations by the National Museum of Wales in 2005. On the longest day of the year (June 20–22), the sun reaches its highest elevation and casts a beam of light that perfectly penetrates the tomb’s entrance, illuminating the interior.

Bryn Celli Ddu

Recent archaeological investigations have revealed that Bryn Celli Ddu is not an isolated monument but is situated at the center of a vast and complex prehistoric ritual landscape. Surveys have identified a previously unknown Bronze Age cairn cemetery surrounding the original mound, as well as at least ten new panels of prehistoric rock art.

Bryn Celli Ddu

Today, the monument remains a focal point for modern-day Druids and visitors who gather annually to witness the midsummer sunrise.

Bryn Celli Ddu

Another significant related site is Barclodiad y Gawres, a passage tomb on western Anglesey that shares a similar arrangement and rock art carvings, which will be discussed in a future study.

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Visit Information: -
Google Reference: -
53.208174540950424, -4.2360328420463


What Three Words reference: -
///vegetable.vibe.rates


OS Details: -
SH 50757 70181
Elevation 33m
Additional information.
Visiting is easy with a dedicated car park (53.204833098621464, -4.2400776132045) and then a 500m well sign posted walk to the site.

There are no facilities here.

Cross the Britannia Bridge on to the island then turn left on the A55 and then left again on to the A4080 from there a right turn marked with a brown tourist sign for the site.

 

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Llety'r Filliast

The Neolithic Heart of the Great Orme

Llety'r Filiast is an important archaeological, cultural, and historical site, 

prominently recognized as a Neolithic burial chamber located on the Great Orme, near Llandudno.

Visit Date: April 2024

Llety'r Filiast South View

Llety'r Filiast is classified as a Neolithic chambered cairn, or portal dolmen, which was commonly used during the Neolithic era, approximately between 6,000 and 4,500 years ago.

Click on any image to enlarge

The chamber itself measures about 2.1 meters long and 1.5 meters high, surrounded by the remains of a cairn that once covered it. Originally, this cairn was believed to be around 30 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a roughly egg-shaped form, though much of the stone has been removed over time. The space under the horizontal capstone likely contained the remains of significant community figures or family members, possibly cremated.

While it is unclear whether the chamber featured a visible entrance or was entirely enclosed, structures like this are thought to hold deeper symbolic meanings, possibly serving as "portals to another world" or relating to ancient creation myths.

The construction of elaborate burial chambers like Llety'r Filiast reflects a critical phase in human development—the Neolithic era. During this time, people transitioned from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural communities, enabling them to allocate resources to significant projects, such as building burial sites, as they were no longer solely focused on sourcing food.

A geophysical survey conducted by Jo Jones in 1996 at the "Cromlech Field," where Llety'r Filiast is situated, revealed traces of an outer ring ditch and potential postholes, indicating the presence of a henge monument associated with the site. Nearby finds include Romano-British ceramic material unearthed close to the chamber, suggesting later activities in the area.

Llety'r Filiast (Viewed from East)

Llety'r Filiast is located near the Great Orme, a limestone headland on the north coast of Wales, northwest of Llandudno. The Great Orme, referred to as Cyngreawdr Fynydd by the 12th-century poet Gwalchmai ap Meilyr, derives its English name from the Old Norse word for "sea serpent."

Llety'r Filiast (Viewed from the North)

Nearby are the Orme copper mines, discovered in 1987 during landscaping efforts on the Great Orme. These copper mines represent one of the most remarkable archaeological finds in recent history, dating back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age, and they have reshaped our understanding of the ancient people of Britain and their structured societies, well before the Roman invasion. While Llety'r Filiast predates these mines, it is also geographically close to other prehistoric structures, such as Neolithic roundhouses on the Great Orme. Local tradition suggests that a trackway from the mines may have passed by the cromlech, indicating that the dolmen might have served as a "guardian" of the mines' entrance. This site is part of a larger landscape rich in early human activity on the Great Orme, which includes evidence of Mesolithic flint tools and Neolithic implements found in a nearby valley.

Llety'r Filiast (Viewed from the west)

The name Llety'r Filiast translates to "The Lair of the Greyhound Bitch" or "Lodging of the Greyhound Bitch." This name is shared with other tombs across Wales, although no specific story survives to explain its significance for this particular site. "Filiast" is commonly interpreted as a reference to a female greyhound or grey-colored hound. Some theories connect these sites to the Celtic goddess Cerridwen, whose symbols included a "milast," a form she is believed to have taken during initiation rituals. Another interpretation links "milast" to Camulus (Mars), to whom greyhound bitches and horses were dedicated. Folklore also associates phantom guard dogs with "the bowels of the earth," drawing similarities to Cerberus guarding the underworld or to the "Bar Guest" of the Derbyshire Mines. This connection may provide insight into the name "Lair of the Greyhound Bitch," suggesting that such sites were viewed with a mix of awe and fear, relating to their mystical or protective associations with the underworld.

 

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Visit Information: -

Google Reference: -

53.32922567161166, -3.844655684295934

What Three Words reference: -

///pill.navy.typed

OS Details: -

SH 77216 82940 elevation 447

Additional information.

Visiting is easy. There is a small place to park at the side of the field (53.32897301962271, -3.844905483766489) but this is a small country lane really.

The most satisfying way to visit would be to take a ride on the Great Orme Tramway, (53.32727640960437, -3.835464572077922) which is a funicular railway. Get off at the halfway stage and you can walk to the site, however the terrain is quite steep.

There are lots of facilities in the Town.

A full list of blogs can be found at my website

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Harold's Stones

Harold's Stones

In the village of Trellech, three megaliths stand. The village likely got its name from these stones, translating to either 'village of stones' or 'three stones.' The name derives from 'tri' (Welsh for three) and 'llech' (meaning flat stone).

Visit Date January 2025

Harold's Stones : Trellech

These three large standing stones in a 12-metre alignment, all three are leaning at angles but it is unlikely that this is deliberate.

Harold's Stones : Trellech

Although a relatively small village in modern times, Trellech in Monmouthshire was one of the largest towns in Wales in the 13th century.

Harold's stones are in a 12-metre alignment with a possible fourth stone being robbed away or destroyed in the late 18th century. The stones are of a conglomerate rock that's known as pudding stone. All the stones lean at different angles with the tallest being over 4 metres in height. 

Harold's Stones : Trellech

A font in the local church has a carving of the stones with the stones numbered 8, 10 and 14 which is thought to be the height of each stone at that time.

Harold's Stones : Trellech

The precise reason for the erection of the stones is unknown however, they may have been for ritual, though an astronomical use is not out of the question.

The stones create an approximate line running between the north-east and south-west at an azimuth of about 229°, likely indicating the midwinter sunset, although the possibility of the midsummer sunrise cannot be dismissed due to the imprecise alignment today due to the movement.

Harold's Stones : Trellech

The central stone of the three has been dressed to smooth its surface and bears two large cup marks on its face.

Harold's Stones : Trellech

There is much folklore associated with the stones.

The origin of the name "Harold's Stones" remains a mystery. Local legend suggests that these stones were erected to commemorate the victory of the Saxon king Harold over the Britons. However, this theory is unlikely, as the stones date back at least 2,000 years before Harold's time. Another legend claims that they mark the location where three British chieftains fell in battle against Harold. Despite being associated with Harold's victory over the Britons, the stones are much older than that.

Click on any image for a larger version

As another story goes, Jack o'Kent, a giant, quarrelled with the Devil on Trellech Beacon, which is the hill located directly east of Trellech. The Devil challenged Jack to a throwing match. Jack threw first, but the Devil managed to throw his object a bit farther. However, Jack, probably with his eyes closed and one hand behind his back, threw just a bit farther than the Devil. In frustration, the Devil ran off.

The location of this event varies depending on who tells the story. Some versions claim that the competition took place on Sugar Loaf Mountain, while a third version cites Skirrid Fawr, also known as Holy Mountain, as the site of the contest.

Footer:Visit Information: -
Google Reference: -
51.74277538693781, -2.7265470451085365

What Three Words reference: -
///jeep.pylon.streetcar

OS Details: -
OS Grid Ref: SO 49927 05145 Elevation: 206 m 

Additional information.

Visiting is easy and there is a public car park close to the site (51.74405088914131, -2.7246217913570847) There is just a short walk along the road to the site however, this has no pavement so care will be needed. The site is marked with a monument sign.

There are no facilities at the site but there is a pub in the village and also you may be lucky enough to have tea in the village hall!

A full list of blogs can be found at my website

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Arthur's Stone

Like many prehistoric monuments in western England and Wales, 

this monument has been linked to King Arthur. 

According to the 13th-century legend, it was here that Arthur slew a giant, 

who left the impression of his elbows on one of the stones as he fell.

Others suggest the indentations were left by Arthur's 

knees or elbows as he knelt there to pray.

Visit Date January 2025

 

Arthur's Stone

The tomb dated around 3500 BC is much like many others of this type of structure often referred to as Chromlechs, Quoits or Dolmens and is made up of a large capstone perhaps weighing around 25 tons supported not by the more common 3 or 4 uprights but 9 uprights.

Click on any image for larger view

The entrance to the tomb is through a curved, 4.6 m (15 ft) long entrance passageway.

Arthur's Stone

This is not uncommon but seems to deviate from many of these types of tombs which would have a straight entrance-way.

Click on any image for larger view

The site would have been covered with a great mound of earth which has either been eroded over the centuries or exposed much earlier. Modern investigations had not been carried out on this structure until 2022/2023, when investigations led by the Universities of Manchester and Cardiff were carried out.

Arthur's Stone

It was found that it is likely the tomb has been altered since the original single burial chamber Dolmen. The original entrance would have been north-facing however it is now thought that the structure was later converted into a long cairn and the entrance to this new structure faced south.

More work may be done to confirm this.

Arthur's Stone possible original entrance

During these excavations near the long entrance, there was found evidence of a dry stone wall structure. This had been carefully constructed and was thought to have had some symbolic meaning, perhaps the stones were brought as some sort of memorial to the dead.

The curved passageway seems to be part of this later addition.

Arthur's Stone, Writing

As stated earlier this Neolithic monument known as Arthur’s Stone,  has long been linked to legend and literature however, if King Arthur had been at every location he is associated with he would have to have lived many lives.

Two other Arthurian structures on this blog can be found at 

https://davidsnarrative.blogspot.com/2022/10/coetan-arthur.html

and 

https://davidsnarrative.blogspot.com/2022/06/maen-ceti-arthurs-stone.html

Click on any image for larger view

These Arthurian giant-slaying escapades and the inspiring large Stone capstone or table here at this site is said to have been the inspiration on which the lion Aslan was sacrificed in C S Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. 

The site is now in the care of English Heritage

Footer:Visit Information: -
Google Reference: -
52.08230962757643, -2.9953445186919994

What Three Words reference: -
///bolsters.craters.timer

OS Details: -
OS Grid Ref: SO 31887 43123 

Additional information.

Visiting is easy and is about 11 miles from Hereford along the A438 and B4352 (Pentre lane ) and then 3/4 of a mile along Arther's Stone Lane (this is the only narrow part.

There is parking for 3/4 cars in a lay-by right next to the site. There are no facilities.

I have been told that this site can get busy in the summer months.

A full list of blogs can be found at my website

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