This apparent hut circle is located on the spur of Talfynydd, on the south side of the main Mynydd Presely upland ridge. The grid reference is SN 127318. Not far away to the NE is the tor called Carn Sian. There is a gentle west-facing slope here, and the site looks out over Cwm Cerwyn. This feature is 7-8m across, and as we can see there is a slight embankment littered with rather large boulders. The feature is not perfectly circular, but slightly elongated downslope. I have searches through all the Coflein and Archwilio records, and can find no trace of it.
Is it a Bronze Age hut circle? There are certainly many others in the area -- but most of the interesting prehistoric remains on Talfynydd are on the eastern side of the ridge, whereas this one is on the west-facing (weather!) side. There are of course similar features on Carningli as well. Given its exposed location, I wonder whether this might have been an animal enclosure? But against that idea, there are no guiding walls anywhere near.........
Does anybody else know the site? It's almost exactly 50m north of the site of the tragic Liberator crash of 19 September 1944, in which five airmen were killed. The patch of bare ground (where the plane was burnt up deliberately after the crash, since it would have been very difficult to remove the debris from the mountain) can be seen on the image below, towards the bottom. The "hut circle can also be seen quite clearly.
Yes, I know this site. Not very much further to the north is a linear stone wall and a few other hut/enclosure type things. The wall is approximately parallel to the the much longer wall running across the promontory that dips down into the valley to the east skirting the edge of the larger group of features you mention.
ReplyDeleteCoflein and Archwilio do mention some parts of what is here (talfynydd in general), but not in detail.
Been meaning to survey these for a long time, but never find the the time or the weather (what cop out!).
Dave
There is an extraordinary preserved ancient landscape here on Talfynydd -- most of the features are on the eastern flank of the ridge. On a par with the density of features around Carn Alw and on the slopes of Carningli.
ReplyDeleteThat's fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI have never realised that there was so much archaeology there on that hill. Ive often puff and panted up the hill en route to the honey pots of Bedd Arthur and Carn Meini.
Given the settled weather I plan to have a bimble around tomorrow.
Yes, it's a stiff old climb up the nose of the spur. Take it easy, as James Bond says....... bear to the right when you get up there. Lots to see!
ReplyDelete