Saturday 19 April 2014

Megalithic Structure West of Castell Dolbadarn.

I visited this site on Friday, I had been told about it, but had never been up to see the stones. Admittedly it did look like the remains of a burial chamber but I have never heard anyone discuss this site seriously. Not sure what I think ?

The site is on top of the small rocky hillock alongside the footpath from the rear of the Victoria Hotel over to Castell Dolbadarn.
 


 
 
The information below is what is up on the Archwilio website http://www.cofiadurcahcymru.org.uk/arch/gat/english/gat_interface.html
 
 
Gwynedd Archaeological Trust
Regional Historic Environment Record

Megalithic Structure, W of Dolbadarn Castle

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 4053
Trust : Gwynedd
Site Type : CHAMBERED TOMB
Period : Early Medieval
Community : Llanberis
NGR : SH58465974
Legal Protection :

Summary :


Description :
A peculiar megalithic structure standing on low hillock, W of Dolbadarn Castle. Consists of 2 large orthostatic slabs set parallel approx. 3.0m apart, apparently forming 2 sides of a square structure, which has low pillars of varying size at each corner. Those at the SE and NW have fallen. There are numerous other large blocks scattered around, and the whole area is raised approx. 0.5m above the surrounding hillside.

Seems an unlikely Neolithic site and probably too crude to be a Victorian folly, although this is a possibility.

Resembles strongly rectangular structures either huts, tombs or shrines found at a number of Irish monastic sites and it would therefore be of early Christian date.

There is a local tradition of St. Padarn inhabiting a monastic cell in this area. <1> <2>

Sources :
Crew, P. , 1975 , Archaeology in Wales , <1>
Ordnance Survey , 1980 , SH55NE 22 , <2>
Johnson, B. V. , 1981 , PRN 4053 , <3>

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