Standing Stones
Standing stones and circles were constructed during the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age (c. 3500BC – 1400BC) a time that spanned over 2000 years.
Nothing much is known of the religious beliefs of the people that constructed such monuments and nothing is certain about their function. Such stones have proven difficult to date; however, due to findings of pottery found underneath some of the excavated stones, we can assume they were probably erected during the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age – which would link them perhaps to the Beaker Culture, or an earlier period.
We do know that people buried their dead in tombs around the same time and were very skilled and organised in achieving such feats. We have to take into consideration that times were changing, a change that brought new ideas and religious beliefs that included rituals and a social hierarchy.
It has been proposed that standing stones may have been around for longer than ancient burials, but identifying their purpose has been difficult to prove. We could speculate that standing stones may have been used to judge the position of the sun or for ceremonial purposes such as fertility rites or pointers towards seasonal cycles for the early farming communities, or even as directional markers pointing towards ancient pathways or burial chambers.
Below is a list of standing stones in the area
I have included an O/S number on all historical sites to enable everyone to locate using an O/S map.
Gwynedd
Bodfan – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr) Dinas Dinlle SH443553
Glynllifon Monolith – Bronze Age standing stone – Glynllifon, Llanwnda SH457555
Maen Llwyd (Plasnewydd) – standing stone – (nr Glynllifon) Llanwnda SH445542
Penbryn Mawr – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr Glynllifon) Llanwnda SH459538
Cadair Elwa / Nant y Garth – standing stone – Felinheli SH543683
Cilgwythwch –standing stone (possible) – (nr) Llanrug SH518621
Parc y Gleision (Cefn Du) – Bronze Age standing stone – Llanrug SH547618
Castell Stone – small standing stone (undated) – Rhiwlas SH572655
Ty’n Llwyn – standing stone – Pentir SH569672
Moel Faban – arrow stone (carving) – (nr) Llanllechid SH635678
Fridd Fedw –standing stone (possible) – (nr Crymlyn) Aber SH635708
Foel Ganol (Waen y Gors / Foel Dduarth) – arrow stone (carving) – Llanfairfechan SH680720
Maen Ffordd Rufeinig – standing stone – Llanfairfechan SH694723
Craiglwyd – stone axe factory – Penmaenmawr SH717749
Maen Crwn – Bronze Age standing stone – Penmaenmawr SH731750
Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen – 2 Bronze Age standing stones – (nr) Rowen SH714718 & SH715717
Cae Coch (Esgid-y-Gawr) – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr) Rowen SH732716
Maen-y-Bardd stones – 2 Bronze Age standing stones – (nr) Rowen SH741718
Ffon-y-Cawr / Picell Arthur – standing stone – (nr Maen y Bardd) Rowen SH739717
Maen Penddu – Bronze Age standing stone – Rowen SH739736
Hafodty – standing stone – (nr) Henryd SH747749
Clogwyn-yr-Eryr – stone alignment (possible) – Dolgarrog SH725668
Afon Garreg Wen – standing stone – Caerhun SH713676
Cedryn – standing stone – Cwm Eigiau SH709636
Tal-y-Braich – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr) Capel Curig SH705607
Cefn Graenog – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr Pant Glas) Dolbenmaen SH455491
Bryniau’r Tyddyn – Bronze Age standing stone – Dolbenmaen SH507425
Fach Goch – standing stone – Dolbenmaen SH568413
Tyddyn Mawr – standing stone – (nr) Llanaelhaearn SH431444
Meillionen – standing stone – Buan SH296373
Moel Gwynus – Bronze Age standing stone – Llithfaen SH345420
Tir Bach – Bronze Age standing stone – Four Crosses SH401401
Y Ffor Maenhir – standing stone – Four Crosses SH400389
Betws Fawr – standing stone – Rhoslan SH465404
Treflys – standing stone (possible) – Criccieth SH525396
Plas Ddu Stone – Bronze Age standing stone (possible) – Llanystumdwy SH411402
Tir Gwyn – 2 standing stones – Llannor SH344393
Llwyndyrys – standing stone – (nr Parc Glasfryn) Pwllheli SH379416
Coed Creigiau-Cathod – standing stone – Carn Fadrun, Pwllheli SH293364
Llangwnnadl Maenhir – standing stone – Llangwnnadl SH208326
Sarn Meillteryn (Capel Meillteryn) – standing stone (possible) – Botwnnog SH237328
Pandy – standing stone – Botwnnog SH287322
Capel Tan-y-Foel – standing stone – Rhiw SH226276
Maen Melyn – standing stone – Aberdaron SH139252
Anglesey
Bryn Celli Ddu – standing stone (replica) – Llanddaniel Fab SH506701
Tyddyn Bach – standing stone – (nr Bryn Celli Ddu) Llanddaniel Fab SH503703
Trefwri (Ty Mawr) – 2 early Bronze Age standing stones – Brynsiencyn SH476677
Bryngwyn stones – 2 standing stones (remains of stone circle) – Brynsiencyn SH462669
Malltraeth Yard – standing stone – Malltraeth SH408693
Bodfeddan – inscribed stone – (nr) Llanfaelog SH356745
Penrhos Feilw – 2 early Bronze Age standing stones – Trearddur SH227809
Ty Mawr – standing stone – Holyhead SH253809
The Soar Stone / Llanfaethlu Stone – standing stone – Llanfaethlu SH319864
Tregwehelydd – early Bronze Age standing stone (restored) – (nr) Llanddeusant SH342832
Glan Alaw (Bod Deiniol) – standing stone – (nr) Llanddeusant SH368857
Pen-yr-Orsedd – 2 standing stones – Llanfairynghornwy SH334906 & SH333904
Llanfechell Triangle – 3 Bronze Age standing stones – Llanfechell SH363917
Baron Hill / Llanfechell stone – standing stone – Llanfechell SH370916
Boderwyd – standing stone – (nr) Rhosgoch SH406902
Werthyr – standing stone – Amlwch SH415928
Plas Bodafon – Bronze Age standing stone – Moelfre SH476855
Carreg Leidr – standing stone – Llannerchymedd SH446843
Llys Einion (Bryn Dyfrydog) – standing stone – Llannerchymedd SH429858
Llech Golman – standing stone – (nr) Llannerchymedd SH451831
Maen Addwyn – standing stone – (nr) Llannerchymedd SH460833
Graiglas – standing stone – (nr) Llangristiolus, Llangefni SH416750
Lledwigan – standing stone – Llangefni SH456740
Hirdre-Faig – standing stone – Llangefni SH484747
Llanddyfnan – standing stone – Llanddyfnan SH501786
Cremlyn – 2 standing stones – Llansadwrn SH571775
Pen y Maen –standing stone – Llandegfan SH564739
Ty-Gwyn (Plas Cadnant) – standing stone – Llandegfan SH554739
Llanddona – standing stone – Llanddona SH567796