CPAT Regional Historic Environment Record
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Maen Madog Stone

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 825
Trust : Clwyd Powys
Community : Ystradfellte
Unitary authority : Powys
NGR : SN9186815782
Site Type (preferred type first) : EARLY MEDIEVAL INSCRIBED STONE
Status : scheduled monument

Description :
Inscribed stone x2.7m high x 0.7m wide x 0.3m thick. Moved and reset on level stone-built platform in the 1940s by C & A Fox. Vertical Latin inscription on narrowest (south-west) edge and (?)modern graffito (an anchor) on north-west face. Possibly originally sited c5m to south by Roman road. Possibly a grave marker (Alcock, L 1971).

Geophysical survey planned for May 1994 (University of Wales, Cardiff).

Inscription reads:-

DERVAC-FILIUS/IUST-(H)IC IACIT

The stone of Dervacus, son of Justus. He lies here.
(Burnham, H 1995, 99-100).

(ECM 8) Ystradfellte, Maen Madoc Stone (1777). Latin inscribed pillar, 5th-6th cent. (Excavation discussed above: 18p.000-000).

Archaeologia 4 (1777), p. 8 and pl.1, fig. 3
C.I.I.C., i, p. 381, no. 344
Arch. Camb. 94 (1939) pp. 31-2, pl. 1a
95 (1940), pp. 210-16, pls. 1.2 figs. 1,2,3
RCAHMW, 1995 - Draft Inventory description

The stone is very much as stated in the description although the "anchor" graffiti is almost certainly a typical medieval or immediately post-medieval rhebus. (CPAT Tir Gofal assessment, 2000)

First recorded in 18th century. Jones (1805) described the stone as 'thrown down'. Reset in the 19th century and again in 1940 when it was excavated. Socket apparently not large enough to contain a burial. First half of the 6th century. (Redknap forthcoming)

Sources :
Alcock, L , 1971 , Arthur's Britain
Anon , 1966 , title unknown - Maen Madog Stone
Brecon Beacons National Park , 1986ff , BBNP Archive - Roman Road Maen Madoc
Burnham, H., 1995 , A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales: Clwyd and Powys
Cadw , 1988 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - Br018(POW)
Cadw , 1992 , Cadw Field Monument Wardens Report - Br018(POW)
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1981 , Site visit record - PRN825
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1987 , Site visit record - PRN825
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1995 , title unknown - Maen Madog Stone
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 1995 , Site visit record - PRN825
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust , 2003 , CPAT Project Archive - 930
Copleston, P J , 2000 , Tir Gofal Management Plan: Heritage Management Information (HE1). Blaenedd Isaf - E/10/0823
Fox, C , 1940 , Re-erection of Maen Madoc, Ystradfellte, Brecon , Archaeologia Cambrensis : 95 : 210-16
Jones, T , 1805 , History of the county of Brecknock 1
Nash-Williams, V., E., 1950 , The Early Christian Monuments Of Wales
Ordnance Survey , 1976 , OS record card SN91NW 2
Redknap, M., 2002 , Re-Creations. Visualizing Our Past
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales , 1994 , Annual Report 1993-94
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales , 1995 , An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Brecknock (Brycheiniog); The Prehistoric and Roman Monuments, Part i - draft text
Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales , 1997 , An Inventory of the Ancient Monuments in Brecknock (Brycheiniog); The Prehistoric and Roman Monuments, Part i
Silvester, B & Hankinson, R , 2002 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical and Burial Sites in Mid and North-east Wales: An Interim Report ( © Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust)
Silvester, B & Hankinson, R , 2003 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical and Burial Sites in Mid and North-east Wales: The Second Report ( © Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust)
Silvester, R J , 2004 , Early Medieval Ecclesiastical and Burial Sites in Mid and North-East Wales. The Field Assessment and its Impact on the Overall Study ( © Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust)
Welsh Office Ancient Monuments Branch , 1981 , Schedule of Ancient Monuments in Wales

Events :

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 84540 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/84540/

Compiled date : 31-12-1986


Images :



Archaeological data, from the Historic Environment Record, supplied by The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust in partnership with Local Authorities, Cadw and the partners of ENDEX © CPAT, 2025 (and in part © Crown, 2025). It is intended to be used for private research only and is not for use as part of commercial projects. If you wish to use this information for publication in printed or multimedia form or to compile resources for commercial use, prior permission must be obtained in writing. Use of this information is subject to the terms and conditions of access to HER data published on CPAT's website. Please contact the HER if you have any further questions regarding this information. Please quote the Primary Reference Numbers (PRNs) in any correspondence.

April 14, 2025, 4:06 pm - File produced for Archwilio from CPAT's Regional HER.
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust, The Offices, Coed y Dinas, Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RP
tel (01938) 553670, email her@cpat.org.uk, website www.cpat.org.uk

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