The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Tythegston Long Barrow (cae Tor)

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00287m
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Merthyr Mawr
Unitary authority : Bridgend
NGR : SS8646679255
Site Type (preferred type first) : Neolithic Chambered tomb
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
The site appears at the edge of a copse in the corner of an arable field, as a well-marked mound with the chamber, towards the E end, represented by the E-W aligned capstone propped up on the S side by a single orthostat towards the E end.

Description :
The site appears at the edge of a copse in the corner of an arable field, as a well-marked mound with the chamber, towards the E end, represented by the E-W aligned capstone propped up on the S side by a single orthostat towards the E end. The capstone measures 4.87x1.30m, and is 0.50m thick at the W end and appears to be sandstone, though it is much obscured by moss and lichen; the orthostat is 1.3m wide and stands 0.4m high. There is a mass of stone on its N side. The mound is pear-shaped, with its greatest width towards the E end. The water-filled depression to NE is not associated with any peat. Dimensions: 2.7m E-W x 18.4m (W side of capstone), c2m high.

The barrow is situated on the ridgeline of Stormy and Newton Downs, which lies between the South Welsh coast c. 3km to the south and the valley of the Afon Cenfig to the north. A number of other Neolithic and Bronze Age funerary and ritual monuments have been identified on this ridgeline including the Mynydd Herbert barrow (00228m) and the Mount Pleasant barrow (Ford 2015).

(1953) The grass-covered long barrow is orientated in an E-W direction, wounded at the E end and pointed at the W - possibly as a result of ploughing. There is no trace of a ditch around the barrow or at its sides. The probable capstone, orientated with the barrow, is 0.4m thick. Its S side is tilted up by a longitudinally placed slab, 1.0m long, 0.5m high and 0.2m thick, set on edge beneath the capstone. (Source 02)

(1963/1976) On the gentle NW slope of a broad hill. The mound, now 1.2m high, is grass grown but contains a high proportion of large limestone rubble beneath the turf. The only structural feature visible is the chamber. The capstone, 0.45 to 0.53m thick, dips 27 deg on bearing 331 deg, and rests with its underside at about 1.0m above ground level on a single supporter, of which only the top 0.45m is visible. Other supporters may lie buried in the rubble-filled interior.

Plan fig 10 shows a pear-shaped mound about 26m long with long axis NE-SW and greatest width (c 18m) across the NE end where the chamber is.

60m away at 276 deg is a slab measuring 1.7m at 115 deg by 0.9m wide and 1.2m thick, which may once have been robbed from the chamber. (Source 01)

(1982) The long barrow is unchanged, but the slab to the west is not now visible in a ploughed field (Source 06)

(1984) The cairn is small (about 28x10m) and a relatively squat pointed oval in its present form, its long axis approximately NE-SW along the slope. The visible remains of the chamber, towards the NE end, lie on the main axis. They consist of a single slab about 4x2m, overlying a rubble-filled hollow in which a single orthostat is visible under the long south-eastern edge of the capstone. In spite of the hollow under the capstone, the monument may be practically undisturbed, at least in relation to the cairn, which is smooth and featureless, with no superficial indications of horns, and no suggestion of an underlying trapezoidal core. Its potential for the understanding of the finished character of the long cairn - as to whether , at least in some cases, it was given an outer casing to produce an oval form - is considerable. May not be a normal Severn-Cotswold cairn.

(1986) The barrow is situated on the top of a low ridge on the edge of a cultivated field just west of a marshy bog. It is covered in grass and bracken. It is aligned east-west and is 4#30m long and 17m wide at its broader east end, and 1.8m high at this end. There are a few large stones lying on its west side. On the top, towards the east, is a large capstone lying east-west in a slight dip, 4.5m long, 1,8m wide and 0.4m thick. It is propped up on a stone at its south side, and slopes gently down towards the north. There are small stones underneath it, and larger ones next to it on the north. Two elder bushes are growing beside it. It has been closely ploughed around its north, west and south-west sides, but is protected on its other sides by the bog and a scrubby area at the edge of the field. (Source 07)

GGAT 72 Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual Sites Project

Sources :
Ordnance Survey , 1st Edition OS map 6"
02/MM Record Card/OS//1957/SS 87 NE 59/;
01/PM List/RCHM//1976/Glam Invent/No.37;
05/PM Mention/GGAT/Robinson D/Cowbridge/p.8;
03/PM Desc Text//Daniel G.E/1950/Prehist Chambered Tombs of England;
07/MM Desc Text/Cadw/Whittle E/20.02.1986 AM7/SS 87 NE/
06/MM Record Card/OS//1982/SS 87 NE 59/;
04/MM Record Card/OS//1978/SS 87 NE 59/;
08/PM Desc Text/1984/GCH/Grimes/WF/The Neolithic period/p145-6
PM Desc Text/Evans EM/2000/GGAT 72 Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual Sites Project

Events :
E006328 : Land north of the A48 Laleston, Bridgend (year : 2018)
E008593 : Rogers Lane, Laleston, Bridgend (year : 2015)
E008592 : Rogers Lane, Laleston, Bridgend (year : 2015)
E008569 : Land of the A48, Pyle, Bridgend (year : 2018)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 94522 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/94522/details
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00228m
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00214m

Compiled date :


April 14, 2025, 2:23 pm - HTML file produced from GGAT HER Charitable Trust Ltd. Heathfield House, Heathfield, Swansea SA1 Tel. 01792 655208; Fax 01792 474469 website: www.ggat.org.uk  email: her@ggat.org.uk Registered Charity no. 505609
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