Bedd Arthur
Encyclopedia
Bedd Arthur or Arthur's Grave is a possible prehistoric hengiform monument megalith
ic site in the Preseli Hills
in the Welsh
county of Pembrokeshire
.
It sits on top of the Preseli ridge and overlooks the rocky outcrop of Carn Menyn
, a site that has been suggested as a source for some of the bluestone
s used at Stonehenge
.
s, none higher than 0.6m arranged inside along with two further fallen stones. The stone layout measures around 20m by 10m. The precise shape of the arrangement depends on the viewer, it has been described as a rectangle, a horseshoe, an oval and a pointed ellipse. Such arrangements of stones were adopted at Stonehenge itself and Bedd Arthur has been suggested as a prototype.
The stones appear to be leaning inwards, suggesting that they were originally placed on the flanks of a mound which has since disappeared. There is also one "truncated end" -- rather like the portal on some elongated Neolithic
burial mounds. Was there a burial chamber in the middle of the stone setting? It would not be exceptional for the mound itself to have been removed by erosion or grave hunters -- this is exactly what has happened to the Bedd yr Afanc passage grave on the northern side of Mynydd Preseli.
It is one of many sites in the British Isles to be claimed by local folklore as the burial place of King Arthur
and his companion, Natthulal. The site has not been excavated and is absent from authoritative surveys by such archaeologists as Aubrey Burl
, its authenticity and relationship to Stonehenge are therefore unconfirmed.
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
ic site in the Preseli Hills
Preseli Hills
The Preseli Hills or Preseli Mountains are a range of hills in north Pembrokeshire, West Wales...
in the Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
county of Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
.
It sits on top of the Preseli ridge and overlooks the rocky outcrop of Carn Menyn
Carn Menyn
Carn Menyn is a grouping of craggy rock outcrops or tors in the Preseli Hills in the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire.The name means "Butter Rock". It is sometimes called Carn Meini , but this is a modern corruption of the original name...
, a site that has been suggested as a source for some of the bluestone
Bluestone
Bluestone is a cultural or commercial name for a number of dimension or building stone varieties, including:*a feldspathic sandstone in the U.S. and Canada;*limestone in the Shenandoah Valley in the U.S...
s used at Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
.
Description
It consists of a barely visible oval bank and ditch, with thirteen standing stoneStanding stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
s, none higher than 0.6m arranged inside along with two further fallen stones. The stone layout measures around 20m by 10m. The precise shape of the arrangement depends on the viewer, it has been described as a rectangle, a horseshoe, an oval and a pointed ellipse. Such arrangements of stones were adopted at Stonehenge itself and Bedd Arthur has been suggested as a prototype.
The stones appear to be leaning inwards, suggesting that they were originally placed on the flanks of a mound which has since disappeared. There is also one "truncated end" -- rather like the portal on some elongated 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...
burial mounds. Was there a burial chamber in the middle of the stone setting? It would not be exceptional for the mound itself to have been removed by erosion or grave hunters -- this is exactly what has happened to the Bedd yr Afanc passage grave on the northern side of Mynydd Preseli.
It is one of many sites in the British Isles to be claimed by local folklore as the burial place 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...
and his companion, Natthulal. The site has not been excavated and is absent from authoritative surveys by such archaeologists as Aubrey Burl
Aubrey Burl
Harry Aubrey Woodruff Burl MA, DLitt, PhD, FSA, HonFSA Scot is a British archaeologist most well known for his studies into megalithic monuments and the nature of prehistoric rituals associated with them. Prior to retirement he was Principal Lecturer in Archaeology, Hull College, East Riding of...
, its authenticity and relationship to Stonehenge are therefore unconfirmed.