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History • Heritage • DiscoveryRhayader · Mid Wales
Ancient landscapes · Elan Valley

Penrhiw Wen Sites

Penrhiw-Wen is just off the old Aberystwyth Mountain Road and includes two standing stones — Maen Serth / Esgair Dderw Standing Stone and Maengwyngweddw Stone (The White Widow) — plus Clap yr Arian Ca

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This page includes Maen Serth / Esgair Dderw Standing Stone, Maengwyngweddw Stone, Clap yr Arian Cairn, and the Clap yr Arian Axe.

Maen Serth / Esgair Dderw Standing Stone

Maen Serth / Esgair Dderw Standing Stone, 2.1m high.

In 1176 two local princes, Einion Clud and Morgan ap Meredydd, were returning from the Great Eisteddfod in Cardigan, held by the Lord Rhys, Prince of South Wales, to celebrate the completion of Cardigan Castle, when they were ambushed and killed by the soldiers of Roger Mortimer, Earl of Wigmore, who had designs on their land. Tradition says they were killed here at Maenserth, known locally as the Princes Stone.
Map Ref: SN863 770

Maen Serth Standing Stone photo 1
Maen Serth Standing Stone photo 2
Maen Serth Standing Stone photo 3
Maen Serth Standing Stone photo 4
Maen Serth Standing Stone photo 5
Maen Serth Standing Stone photo 6

Maengwyngweddw Stone

Maengwyngweddw Stone (The White Widow), a Bronze Age standing stone. Quartz boulder 0.76m high.
Map Ref: SN925 705

Maengwyngweddw Stone photo 1
Maengwyngweddw Stone photo 2
Maengwyngweddw Stone photo 3
Maengwyngweddw Stone photo 4
Maengwyngweddw Stone photo 5
Maengwyngweddw Stone photo 6

Clap yr Arian Cairn

Bronze Age round barrow, 16m diameter, with 8 kerb stones visible on the west side. In 1910 a stone axe-hammer was found nearby. Two other cairns nearby were destroyed for road metalling.
Map Ref: SN936 699

Clap yr Arian Cairn photo 1
Clap yr Arian Cairn photo 2
Clap yr Arian Cairn photo 3
Clap yr Arian Cairn photo 4

Clap yr Arian Axe

Beaker-type stone axe dating from the early Bronze Age. The stone is spotted blue dolerite and was found between two upright stones at the centre of one of the Clap yr Arian cairns. Being made of dolerite suggests it was carried here from the Preseli Mountains of Pembrokeshire. This axe is on display at the Radnorshire Museum in Llandrindod Wells.
Map Ref: SN936 699

Clap yr Arian Axe photo 1
Clap yr Arian Axe photo 2

Explore the Elan Valley on the map

Explore the Elan and Claerwen valleys using Ordnance Survey Leisure mapping.

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