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seen near the Wesleyan chapel. The length of the portion west of the road is two hundred and fifty yards, with an average breadth of forty-five at the base, and twelve feet deep in the ditch.

Castellmoch, or, probably, Castellmarch (the fort of the horse), is a similar rampart to the previous two, at the foot of the hill extending into the valley of the Tanat and to the banks of the river. It had a castelet or fort at one end. Its purpose was evidently to prevent incursions up the valley.

Madawg Dwygraig, a poet in the fourteenth century, alludes to the place in a poem or ode to the memory of one Ruffudd ap Madog.

"Who strong, vigilant and daring from Penllyn,1
Drove the foreigners beyond Castellmoch."

Myv. Arch., p. 321.
[Py gadarn hoywfarn hyfoch o Benllyn,
A gystwy Ellmyn o Gastellmoch.

Rhosybeddau (the moor of the graves),—

A high hill top

Nor bowered with trees, nor broken by the plough,
Remote from human dwellings, and the stir

Of human life, and open to the breath

And to the eye of heaven.

Is an eminence in the wild, upland flat of 'Sgynfa, on the narrow strip of the township of Cefncoch, which runs between the parish of Llangynog and the county boundary of Denbigh. It is just the spot to tempt a Druid to establish an altar for his superstitious rites. On the summit are remains called Cerrig y Beddau (the stones of the graves). They consist of a circle and two lines of stones in parallel rows, each a hundred and ninety-one feet long, forming a single avenue of thirteen feet width. The diameter of the circle measures fortyone feet, the number of stones composing it at present is twelve; but clearly there has been more, as the place shows great inequalities in the distances between them. 1 A district on the other side of the Berwyn, in Merionethshire.

VOL. IV.

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(See plan.) The number of stones in the rows is twentytwo and sixteen respectively, but the rows have also evidently been robbed of stones. At the east end and the entrance to the avenue there are two upright stones, about four feet high, placed on end. The size of the larger stones in the circle and avenue are about the height of a low chair seat; these are few in number; the others are about the size of what are generally used as coping stones in walling. Except the two end stones they are all laid on the flat, and appear but little above the turf.

Some persons have supposed these relics to be the remains of a Druidic temple. There is an example of remains very similar, given by Borlase,' as existing at Classernis, in the island of Lewis, where they are known as "the temple." The name of this circle, however, together with the names of the places in close proximity, and the tradition connected therewith, would lead to a different opinion. At the base of the south side flows the Rhaiadr, which receives another streamlet running through the ravine of Ceunant y Ddalfa (the ravine of the seizure or struggle). At the head of this ravine is a spot called Pwll yr Ochain (the hollow of sighs). Near the junction of these two waters, on the Rhaiadr brook, is a place called Rhyd y Cwrddid (the ford of the meeting). Another ravine a little lower is called Cum y gloewon. The tradition is, that a sanguinary struggle took place here, in the time of Owain Gwynedd, between the Welsh and an English army which had crossed through Maengwynedd from Dyffryn Ceiriog. There is a path on the hill-side of the former place called Ffordd y Saeson (the path of the English). And Cerrig y beddau, it is said, marks the burial place of the Welsh who fell in the struggle. If the remains are sepulchral, which is probable, the manner of burial would be remarkable. There is no carn, nor any indication of the previous 1 Borlase's Cornwall, p. 207.

2 Perhaps from "glewion," the brave, i. e., the ravine of the brave

ones.

existence of such a monument. The magnetic bearing of the avenue of stones is nearly east and west. If the burials took place between the rows of stones, there would be sufficient space for the length of two bodies.

Gwern yr Hendre (the park of the Old Habitation), and Buarth yr Hendre (the seat of the Habitation). These are on the lands of Gwernfeifod. Local tradition asserts that this place was the site of a religious house or church, and that there was a refuge and a sanctuary for fugitives here similar to that at Pennant Melangell, on the other side of the mountain. The site of the church and its graveyard is shown, and there are evident traces of inclosures, and remains of boundary fences. We are inclined to the opinion that this spot was the first site of the original church of the parish, founded by St. Dogfan. The upland vale of Cwm Ffynon, in Gwernfeifod is called Cwm Doefon, within which is the beautiful well called Ffynon Doefon.

Gwernfeifod (the park of the summer abode), is also reputed to be a manor, and a field is shown where the "lord" kept his "seat" or "court."

In Glanhafon township a series of sites of ruined chambers are to be seen, which are called Tir Cwacers (the Quakers' ground); there is no traditional reference thereto. On the summit of the hill above also is the remain, in the form of a parallelogram of an enclosure, marked by a ruined wall of loose stones, called Lleyr-hen-Eglwys (the place of the old church). In the same township may be seen a 'Twmpath Chwareu,' and a Pit Ceiliogod' (the cockpit), having an arena of twelve feet diameter. It is in good preservation, and is surrounded with a ditch and raised seat for spectators. The site of another one of these may also be seen near Maesybwch.

Llwynbryndinas.-This camp is situated on the summit and extremity of a bold promontory of a range on the north side of the Tanat valley, and on the boundary line of the parish of Llangedwin with Llanrhaiadr parish, It is conveniently formed by nature for an entrenched

camp, having its central area hollowed out. Its north side defence was formerly improved by a ditch, but now lowered to the appearance of a terrace. Its sides are very steep, excepting at the east end. An excellent view is obtained from it in every direction.

ROADS.-Llwybr Heilyn.-British and Roman roads so fuse into one another in the parish, that, in some instances, they cannot well be separated. The road which goes under the above name is mainly, if not wholly, a British trackway, and is as good an example of one existing as may be found. The tradition of the country people is that it is Roman. Its direction across the parish is from south-west to north-east. It first enters the parish in the township of Abermarchnant. Two distinct roads in this township severally go by the name of Llwybr Heilyn. They seem to diverge from one common trunk in the parish of Llanvihangel, which appears to be the Via Devana from Caersws. They both meet in the parish of Hirnant, and continue their course as one into the parish of Llangynog, entering the parish of Llanrhaiadr again in Glanhavon township, passing by the Cubil, and crossing the hill to Cwmblowty, passing through Tanygraig farmyard, again ascending the opposite heights near Tyn'ddol in the direction of Gwernfeifod to Maengwynedd, crossing Penbryngroes, descending to Pont y Saeson, and again stealing away past Tynrhos, and through Ffridd Maesy-cwrt up the Garneddwen range, it leaves this parish. It joins the Via Devana again in the parish of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, some three miles distant. branch from this road diverges towards the head of Cwm Maengwynedd, and is called y ffordd goch in some places. But we are inclined to the belief that this latter branch is the Roman Road from the valley of the Tanat. At the upper end of the cwm this road is called ffordd gam Helen, and may distinctly be seen traversing by a zigzag course the ascent to Bwlch Llandrillo, previously alluded to, into Merionethshire. These roads are popularly called 'bridle roads,' and some parts are still open

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for travelling on horseback. Llwybr Heilyn traverses extensively unenclosed sheep-walks.

ROMAN.-Via Devana.-This road enters the parish at Coedyclawddisa, in or near a field called Cae'r erwydd, where traces of it have been found. It crosses Rhos-y-brithdir ridge near Rhydhir (the long causeway) to Tynyclawdd and Penystreet, to Maesmochnant Bridge (anciently called Pont-pant-yr-impia), crosses the valley of the Tanat and the river Iwrch in the direction of Cross Street Caerllo, and Rhydgaled (the hard causeway), near which place it leaves this parish, and continues its course through the Cymdu up Rhiw Ffordd Erfin to Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog.

South Watling Street. This road passes along the centre of the valley of the Tanat, through Llangynog (where it may yet be traced) in its course to Mons Heriri. It enters this parish from Rowton at Bwlchyddar, crossing the Tanat near Henblas Gartheryr, where, and also in Banhadla Fields, it is called Street y Planciau. Persons now living, remember it as a hard pavement or causeway before it became covered over. Lower down in the valley in the parish of Llanyblodwell, a road which might possibly turn out to be Roman, and a part of the Watling Street, is called Street y Croesau.

Mediolanum.-Sir Richard C. Hoare was strongly impressed that Mediolanum would be found in this neighbourhood, and personally visited and examined the banks of the Tanat with that view. His visit was a fruitless one, though he found, as he writes, suspicious names and a tradition of an old city-the only further indices of the existence of a Roman town. But an indication may perhaps now be supplied. Apart from the unprecise tradition that a large city existed in the valley, a plot of ground upon the banks of the Iwrch' is particularly denominated as Caer Degfan and 'Ar Degfan, which would be a better spot for a military station than the more immediate banks of the Tanat. It is situated on the lands of Llaniwrch farm, the property of Sir W. W. Wynn, and in it have been found squared free stones,

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