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

Some areas may be on private land and permission to roam may be required.

 There are public footpaths leading to most places.

Safety and care must be taken at all times, as some areas are difficult to get to due to hills and slopes that may lead away from paths.