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 North West Wales area

(Due to this being an ongoing project, my aim is to include images of all standing stones listed below) 

I have included an O/S number on all historical sites to enable everyone to locate using an O/S map.

Arfon

Bodfan – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr Dinas Dinlle) Llanwnda SH443553

Maen Llwyd (Plasnewydd) – standing stone – (nr Glynllifon) Llanwnda SH445542

Glynllifon Monolith – Bronze Age standing stone – Glynllifon, Llanwnda SH457555

Penbryn Mawr – Bronze Age standing stone at farm yard – (nr Glynllifon) Penygroes SH459538

Penbryn Mawr – series of stones set up by farmer – (nr Glynllifon) Penygroes SH453539 / SH457535 / SH458533

Cadair Elwa / Nant y Garth – standing stone – Felinheli SH543683

Cilgwythwch – unknown stone – possible prehistoric standing stone (possibly part of a series of standing stones placed nearby in 1850’s to commemorate the Crimean War – (nr) Llanrug SH518621

Pant Ifan Maenhir – Bronze Age standing stone – Llanrug SH52496161

Parc y Gleision (Cefn Du) – Bronze Age standing stone – Llanrug SH547618

Ty’n Llwyn – standing stone – Pentir SH569672

Ty Mawn – folly standing stone – Llanberis SH57125913

Moel Faban – arrow stone (carving) – (nr) Llanllechid SH635678

 

Fridd Fedw – standing stone (possible) – (nr Crymlyn) Aber SH635708

Aberconwy

Maen Ffordd Rufeinig – standing stone – Llanfairfechan SH694723

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

 

Cross-Incised Stone – early Medieval period – (nr Maen y Bardd) Rowen SH73627162

Ffon-y-Cawr / Picell Arthur – standing stone – (nr Maen y Bardd) Rowen SH739717

Maen Penddu – Bronze Age standing stone – Rowen SH739736

Hafodty – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr) Henryd SH747749

Afon Garreg Wen – 2 standing stones (used as fence posts) – Dolgarrog SH71336761

Clogwyn-yr-Eryr – stone alignment x 4 stones (1 recumbent) – Dolgarrog SH72486684

Frith-y-Bont stone row – 3x Broze Age standing stones (nearby stones used for farmstead) – Dolgarrog SH72946819

Cedryn – possible standing stone (former gate post) – Cwm Eigiau SH71606393

Tal-y-Braich – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr) Capel Curig SH70506080

Maen Trichwmwd Stone – natural boulder marker stone – Llyn Cowlyd, Capel Curig SH71706096

Dwyfor

Cefn Graenog – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr Pant Glas) Dolbenmaen SH455491

Bryniau’r Tyddyn – Bronze Age standing stone – Dolbenmaen SH507425

 

Fach Goch – standing stone – Tremadog SH568413

Treflys – standing stone (possible) – Pentrefelin, Criccieth SH525396

Betws Fawr – Bronze Age standing stone – Rhoslan SH46474060

Y Ffor Stone – An erratic boulder (the original standing stone nearby was removed by 1972) – Four Crosses SH40063886

Rhyd y Gwystl – Bronze Age standing stone – Industrial Park, Four Crosses SH40013900

Penfras Uchaf – Bronze Age standing stone – Llwyndyrys, nr Four Crosses SH37954168

Plas Ddu Stone –Bronze Age standing stone (fallen) – Pencaenewydd, nr Four Crosses SH41154028

Tir Bach – Bronze Age standing stone – Pencaenewydd, nr Four Crosses SH40124015

Glasfryn Stone (Maen Grasi) – standing stone – Pencaenewydd, nr Four Crosses SH399422

Tyddyn Mawr – Bronze Age standing stone – (nr) Capel Sardis, Llanaelhaearn SH43084444

Moel Gwynus – Bronze Age standing stone – Llithfaen SH34594204

Tir Gwyn – 2 Bronze Age standing stones – Llannor 1) SH34403921 / 2) SH34423903

 

Meillionen – standing stone (possible rubbing stone) – Buan (by Boduan) SH29683735

Coed Creigiau-Cathod – Bronze Age standing stone – Nant y Gledrydd, Madryn SH29323650

Pandy Saethon – unknown period standing stone – Botwnnog SH28783229

Sarn Meillteryn (Capel Meillteryn) – Bronze Age standing stone (situated in churchyard) – Sarn Meillteyrn, Botwnnog SH23713283

Llangwnnadl Maenhir – Bronze Age standing stone – Llangwnnadl SH20843252

Capel Tan-y-Foel stone – Bronze Age standing stone – Rhiw SH22612767

Tynanelog Stone – unknown stone (possibly not a standing stone) – Mynydd Anelog, Aberdaron SH15502710

Maen Melyn – standing stone (possible natural feature) – Aberdaron SH13842520

Anglesey

Bryn Celli Ddu – Bronze Age standing stone – Llanddaniel Fab SH50607010

Bryn Celli Ddu stone – replica standing stone at Burial Chamber – Llanddaniel Fab SH50757017

Tyddyn Bach – standing stone – (nrBryn Celli Ddu) Llanddaniel Fab SH50327034

Trefwri (Ty Mawr) – 2 early Bronze Age standing stones – Brynsiencyn SH47436782 / SH47616779

 

Bryngwyn stones – 2 standing stones (remains of stone circle) – Brynsiencyn SH462669

Malltraeth Yard – standing stone – Malltraeth SH40866931

Bodfeddan – standing stone (inscribed stone) – (nr) Llanfaelog SH35607459

Penrhos Feilw – 2 early Bronze Age standing stones – Trearddur SH227809

Ty Mawr – standing stone – Holyhead SH253809

Shop Farm – possible Bronze Age or a rubbing stone – Llanynghenedl SH31808123

Tregwehelydd – early Bronze Age standing stone (restored) – (nr) Llanddeusant SH34068318

Glan Alaw (Bod Deiniol) – standing stone – (nr) Llanddeusant SH3683385738

The Soar Stone / Llanfaethlu Stone – standing stone – Llanfaethlu SH319864

Pen-yr-Orsedd – 2 standing stones – Llanfairynghornwy SH33389062 / SH33349038

 

Llanfechell Triangle / Triad Stones – 3 Bronze Age standing stones – Llanfechell SH363917

Baron Hill / Llanfechell stone – standing stone – Llanfechell SH370916

Boderwyd – standing stone – (nr) Rhosgoch SH40629021

Werthyr – standing stone – Amlwch SH41529286

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 SH45188311

Maen Addwyn – standing stone – (nr) Llannerchymedd SH46058336

Graiglas – fallen standing stone – (nr) Llangristiolus, Llangefni SH416750

Lledwigan – standing stone – Llangefni SH456740

Hirdre-Faig – standing stone – Llangefni SH484747

Llanddyfnan – standing stone – Llanddyfnan SH501786

Llanddona – standing stone – Llanddona SH56767968

Cremlyn – 2 standing stones – Llansadwrn SH57157734 / SH57107758

 

Pen y Maen – standing stone – Llandegfan SH56457390

Ty-Gwyn (Plas Cadnant) – standing stone – Llandegfan SH554739

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.