Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Ancient Sites

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Carneddau Hengwm

The Carneddau Hengwm are a couple of quite large tumuli or Neolithic burial chambers that are about two and half miles inland from Llanaber off the A496 Meirionnydd coastal road between Barmouth and Harlech. They lie in an East to West alignment, about fifty yards apart and at an altitude of 900 feet.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Wells

Llangelynin Church and The Holy Well of St. Celynin

Llangelynin church is one of the oldest and remotest churches in Wales; it dates from the 12th Century. Saint Celynin might have erected a religious edifice on the site in the 6th Century since St. Celynin’s well is in the corner of the church yard. The well is a small rectangular pool with stone seats and stone walls. It was reputedly famous for its ability to cure sick children.

Ancient Sites / Buried Treasure / Legends

Tre’r Ceiri (Town of Fortresses)

To the North of Pwllheli, between the main road from Llanaelhaearn to Llithfaen, and the coast, are three peaks known as ‘the Rivals’ in English and ‘Yr Eifl’ in Welsh. Upon the eastern peak is an Iron Age hill fort called Tre’r Ceiri which is regarded by many as the most important prehistoric town in North Wales if not the whole of Europe.

Ancient Sites / Apparitions / Buried Treasure / Hauntings / Legends / Roman / Roman Hauntings

Roman Steps

On a popular walking route for ramblers and hikers, from Cwm Bychan through Bwlch Tyddiad and around Rhinog Fawr, you will encounter the Roman Steps. These steps made in the hills are commonly said to have been constructed by the Romans to facilitate the ascent and descent of their sentries to and from the pass of Bwlch Tyddiad (1,294 ft and 7.5 miles out of Llanbedr).

Ancient Sites / Standing Stones

Meini Hirion (Llanbedr Standing Stones)

The Meini Hirion or ‘long stones’ are a pair of standing stones situated in Llanbedr. They are in a livestock field on the left hand side of the village as you travel north towards Pen-sarn. The field regularly floods when there is a high tide, and the stones are partially obscured by a large tree which grows close by them.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Wells

St. Beuno’s Well

Saint Bueno was born in Powys, and became a missionary who had the protection of the King of Gwynedd, Cadfan. Bueno was awarded the village of Clynnog Fawr where he founded a church in 630.AD. Later the site became a monastery of great importance in Wales, since manuscripts have been found to say that the Abbot of Clynnog was entitled to a seat at the court of the King of Gwynedd.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity

St Beuno’s Church and Chapel

In Clynnog Fawr, the shrine to Saint Bueno is a disproportionately large church for the size of the village, it dominates the area, and it’s probably one of the most important churches in North Wales.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / Wells

St Sidwell’s (Sativola’s or Sadfyl’s) Well

According to ‘The Legendary Lore Of The Holy Wells Of England’ by Robert Charles Hope (1893). ‘On the spot where St. Sidwella is reputed to have been martyred is the well dedicated in her honour; it is situated on the left-hand of the Exeter side of the tunnel leaving the city, at a place called Lion’s Holt.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity

St Aelhaearn’s Church

Located in the village of Llanaelhaearn, the church is named after Aelhaearn, a disciple of Saint Beuno who travelled to the area in the 5th and 6th Centuries. In Wales this period was known as the ‘Age of Saints’ but in England, as ‘The Dark Ages’.