The Foel Fach (Waun Maes) sheepfold

 

Grid ref:  SN074333.  Satellite image.  Something else for the Waun Mawn inventory -- this is a very ruinous feature, out in the middle of the boggy area between Foel Eryr / Cerrig Lladron and Waun Mawn.  It's just over 1 km from the site of the putative stone circle celebrated with much premature enthusiasm by MPP and his colleagues.

The feature is described by Paul Sambrook in a 2006 book chapter, and is referred to as "Waun Maes".

It's a simple sheepfold close to the bank of the Afon Gwaun river, which rises just a short distance away.  We probably have to assume that this was built by shepherds within the last 300 years -- it looks as if it fell into disrepair a long time ago.  But there is a remote possibility that it had something to do with the deer park which existed in the Waun Mawn area in the Middle Ages. Also, Paul has pointed out that there are traces of habitation close to the stream, and it's possible that there was a small hut or hovel here, used by shepherds.  This is Paul's map:

Could any of the features shown on Paul's map be prehistoric, and related in some way to the abundant features seen around Waun Mawn and Banc Llwydlos?  It's possible, but as far as I am aware there have been no excavations here.