Arthur's Stone, Herefordshire
Encyclopedia
Arthur's Stone, Herefordshire is a Neolithic
chambered tomb, or Dolmen
, dating from 3,700 BC – 2,700 BC and is situated on the ridge line of a hill overlooking both the Golden Valley, Herefordshire
and the Wye Valley
, Herefordshire.
and Bredwardine
, and more generally between Hereford
to the east and Hay-on-Wye
to the west, at Ordnance Survey . The tomb commands an elevated view to the south of the Golden Valley
and the Brecon Beacons
in the distance, and is bounded to the north by a small road (Arthur's Stone Lane) which dissects what would originally have been the site of the tomb's elongated mound.
The stones would originally have been buried within a mound, aligned north-south and of approximately 25 metres in length with a south facing entrance. The mound is now, however, almost completely eroded and the capstone is broken with a large section fallen from its underside.
The site is defined and protected by a wooden fence.
The site is seen as a northerly outlier of the well known Severn-Cotswold tomb
Group of chambered tombs and one of five Neolithic
tombs in the local area.
. Some tales suggest the tomb was built to mark the location of one of King Arthur
's battles, while others tell that the stones were already present when Arthur slew a giant on the spot, who fell onto the stones and left indentations in one of them, which remain to this day. Others suggest the indentations on the Quoit Stone were left by Arthur's knees or elbows as he knelt there to pray.
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
chambered tomb, or Dolmen
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
, dating from 3,700 BC – 2,700 BC and is situated on the ridge line of a hill overlooking both the Golden Valley, Herefordshire
Golden Valley, Herefordshire
The Golden Valley is the name given to the valley of the River Dore in western Herefordshire, England. The valley is a picturesque area of gently rolling countryside...
and the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
, Herefordshire.
Location
It is located between the villages of DorstoneDorstone
Dorstone is a village within the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, England. There is a thriving community with a church and public house with restaurant. The Golden Valley area offers excellent hillwalking and horseback riding countryside and is noted for its scenery...
and Bredwardine
Bredwardine
Bredwardine is a village in Herefordshire, England, located off the B4352 road in the west of the county.Features include a brick bridge over the River Wye, a historic late 17th century coaching inn named the Red Lion, St Andrews parish church and the site of Bredwardine Castle.The Wye Valley Walk...
, and more generally between Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
to the east and Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye , often described as "the town of books", is a small market town and community in Powys, Wales.-Location:The town lies on the east bank of the River Wye and is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, just north of the Black Mountains...
to the west, at Ordnance Survey . The tomb commands an elevated view to the south of the Golden Valley
Golden Valley, Herefordshire
The Golden Valley is the name given to the valley of the River Dore in western Herefordshire, England. The valley is a picturesque area of gently rolling countryside...
and the Brecon Beacons
Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of popular peaks south of Brecon, including South Wales' highest mountain, Pen y Fan, and which together form the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park...
in the distance, and is bounded to the north by a small road (Arthur's Stone Lane) which dissects what would originally have been the site of the tomb's elongated mound.
Description
The tomb is topped by a large capstone, estimated to weigh more than 25 tonnes. The capstone rests on nine uprights and there is a curved, 4.6 metre long entrance passageway. To the south, a stone known as the 'Quoit Stone' bears small man-made cup marks.The stones would originally have been buried within a mound, aligned north-south and of approximately 25 metres in length with a south facing entrance. The mound is now, however, almost completely eroded and the capstone is broken with a large section fallen from its underside.
The site is defined and protected by a wooden fence.
The site is seen as a northerly outlier of the well known Severn-Cotswold tomb
Severn-Cotswold tomb
Severn-Cotswold is a name given to a type of Megalithic chamber tomb built by Neolithic peoples in Wales and South West England around 3500 BC.-Description:...
Group of chambered tombs and one of five Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
tombs in the local area.
Etymology
The tomb is one of many prehistoric monuments in western England and Wales to be linked with the legend of King ArthurSites and places associated with Arthurian legend
The following is a list and assessment of sites and places associated with King Arthur and the Arthurian legend in general. Given the lack of concrete historical knowledge about one of the most potent figures in British mythology, it is unlikely that any definitive conclusions about the claims for...
. Some tales suggest the tomb was built to mark the location of one of King Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
's battles, while others tell that the stones were already present when Arthur slew a giant on the spot, who fell onto the stones and left indentations in one of them, which remain to this day. Others suggest the indentations on the Quoit Stone were left by Arthur's knees or elbows as he knelt there to pray.
Further reading
- Children, G; Nash, G (1994) Prehistoric Sites of Herefordshire Logaston Press ISBN 1873827091