Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Wales

Ancient Sites

Moel Offrwm (Lower Hillfort)

Being only 0.5 acres in area, and built on a small prominent rock, this fort did not have much room for a settlement, but due to its natural defences and its high wall, it would have been easy to defend. Evidence has been found for a single six metre diameter roundhouse within the fort, so it would only have housed a handful of people.

Ancient Sites

Moel Faner Hillfort

With an entrance facing towards the north-east, this oval shaped hillfort is probably from the Iron Age. It lies at a height of 950 feet, on a promontory of a hill overlooking the Nannau estate and the Mawddach valley. The fort was small, being about 0.5 acres and the single wall enclosing the fort would have been about six feet high, but it is now quite trampled.

Ancient Sites / Folklore / Roman

Bryn-y-Castell

Taking the B4391 towards Bala from Llan Ffestiniog for just over a mile, you pass close to an Iron Age hillfort situated in rough moorland known as Bryn-y-Castell. The site was excavated by students from Plas Tan-y-Bwlch (Maentwrog) between 1979 and 1985, and it was found to be an important site for iron production until the arrival of the Romans in North Wales when it was abandoned.

Devil / Folklore / Folktales / Welsh Folktales

Satan At Work Near Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn

Elias Owen gives the following account of a series of disturbing experiences that befell a Sabbath breaker in his 1887 book ‘ Welsh folk-lore: a collection of the folk-tales and legends of North Wales’. The account relates to the experiences of one William Davies and was given to Owen by the late Rev. J. L.

Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings / Welsh Folktales

St Digain’s Church, Llangernyw

St Digain’s Church in Llangerny has a unique living ancient monument, a male yew tree that is possibly aged 4000 to 5000 years making it one of the oldest living organisms in the world. There is also a tradition associated with the church and All Hallows Eve when a spirit would reputedly announce the names of those about to die from the altar.

Folklore / Folktales / Legends / Welsh Folktales

Capel Garmon Church

There have been a series of churches in Capel Garmon, the latest of which is the now closed, this being  St Garmon’s Church that was built in 1862. In his ‘Welsh folk-lore’ (1887) Elias Owen recounts the following legend he heard pertaining to the church in Capel Garmon from his friend Rev. Owen Jones of Pentrevoelas.

King Arthur / Legends

Maen Huail

Situated outside Exmewe House (currently Barclays Bank) in Ruthin, is a large boulder that was reputedly used by King Arthur as a chopping block when he killed a love rival. The story states that King Arthur and Huail (son of Caw) once fought over the favours of a lady.