Vertical satellite image of the Gop
Gop y Goleuni
Neolithic Barrow and Mound
South of Prestatyn, Clwyd (OS Map Ref SJ087801)
This is the third tallest prehistoric mound in Britain, after Silbury Hill and Marlborough Mound. It's virtually unknown, which is a pity..........
Built during the Neolithic mainly of limestone blocks and stone, it reaches 12 metres in height and covers an area of 100 metres by 68 metres. Its original purpose is unknown, although it commands spectacular and wide ranging views. Excavated in 1886 and 1901, no human remains were found at the site only the bones of horses and oxen along with many flint arrowheads were recovered. This proliferation of arrows found at the mound in the past lead it to be known by the locals as Bryn-y-Saethau, meaning 'Hill of the arrows'.
Coflein record:
DescriptionGop Cairn is a titanic cairn, 75-80m in diameter and 12m high, centrally disturbed. It was explored in 1886-7 by a central shaft and drifts and faunal remains only were encountered.
It is traditionally a beacon site.
J.Wiles 15.10.2002
The Gop Cairn is Wales's largest prehistoric monument and only surpassed in size by the prehistoric mounds of Silbury Hill and the Marlborough Mound in southern England. It commands a mighty vista from its elevated limestone plateau on the north coast of Wales, close to Prestatyn. A shaft sunk to its centre in the nineteenth century shed little light on its original purpose but it was clearly a place of enormous significance. The Gop Cave in the foreground has produced human skeletons, prehistoric flints and pottery. (Extract from the forthcoming 'Historic Wales from the Air', RCAHMW, 2012).
5 comments:
3rd tallest? (after the Marlborough Mound, as mentioned). This one was excavated by the now - Professor Jim Leary, then of Reading, now of York Uni.
Yes, I suppose Coflein is right, rather than my other source. Duly altered.
Marlborough Mound was also partially excavated by Dave Field (who had jointly excavated Silbury with Leary).
Jim Leary actually had a research project examining Mounds from elsewhere in the UK - don't know whether they included The Gop.
Isobel Geddes has remarked that perhaps the M.M. had a connection with water worship, the Kennet being nearby.
Hmmm. Everything might have been associated with the worship of something or other. Perhaps the Gop was associated with hill worship, or cave worship (since there is a cave nearby).........
.......then again, maybe the Marlborough Mound was associated with Future Monarch Worship that has somehow percolated down the Millenia.....thus explaining how it is that a female student of ultra - posh Marlborough College would end up meeting, as if by chance, Prince William, at Saint Andrew's University?
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