The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Mynydd Drumau 1

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 00505w
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Clydach
Unitary authority : Swansea
NGR : SN7245000379
Site Type (preferred type first) : Bronze Age Round barrow
Status : Scheduled Monument

Summary :
Large turf-covered mound, with a few loose sandstone blocks and boulders up to <0.3m across scattered around. Its SE side cut by a N-S stone wall. The only structural feature visible is the trapezoidal central cist, lined by single upright slabs to SW.

Description :
Large turf-covered mound, with a few loose sandstone blocks and boulders up to <0.3m across scattered around. Its SE side cut by a N-S stone wall. The only structural feature visible is the trapezoidal central cist, lined by single upright slabs to SW (1.35m wide by 0.7m high and 0.18m thick) and NE (1.50m wide by 0.6m high and 0.16m thick), and to NW two slabs (0.27m wide), one inside the other with inner slab leaning to SE. SE end is open and 0.9m wide. There are antiquarian accounts of an outer kerb; Morgan (1899, 64-5) reports two traditions, a 19th century verbal tradition that it was 'like Carn Llechart' (ie upright slabs), and a quotation from Edward Lhuyd that it was 'formed of masons' work' (?drystone walling).
Reference: Morgan, W Ll, 1899, An antiquarian survey of East Gower 14.2m diameter; 0.7m high GGAT 72 Prehistoric Funerary and Ritual Sites survey 2001.

(1956) The cairn partly turf covered is 14.0m in diameter and 0.5m high.It is mutilated by a modern field wall on the SE . The cist is on the NW and is oriented NW - SE , it is 1.7m long , 0.9m wide and 0.6m deep. ( Source 12 )
(1961) The cairn is as described above . It is at SN 7244 0037 ( Source 05 )
(1964/1976 ) On Mynydd Drumau, a ridge N.W. of Neath. No 86 is on the W. side at 260 m above O. D., and the other two at the S. end at 253 m above O.D. See also Standing Stone No. 553 and Group of Small Cairns No. 518. For the trackway on the ridge see p. 10 and Nos. 76 - 81 .
An oval platform cairn , mostly grass covered, 15.9 m long from N.E. to S.W. by 14 m wide, and 0.6 m high. A modern wall crosses the S.E. part of the mound. A little W. of the centre is a rifled cist consisting of a rectangular slab - lined hollow, the tops of the slabs flush with the surface of the cairn. The cist must have been originally about 1.2 mlong from N.W. toS.E. by 0.8 m wide, but the cover stone and S.E.end slab are missing. The cairn has no visible kerb, but Morgan says ' there is authentic testimony that as late as fifty years ago ( i.e. Circa 1850 ) ' there was a circle of stones like Carn Llecharth ( No. 66 ) . It would seem however that Morgan was misled, because Edward Lhuyd in 1695 described the cairn as being like Carn Llechart ' but much less ; and to differ from it, in that the Circle about it was Mason - work, as I was inform'd by a Gentleman who had often seen it whilst it stood; for at present there's nothing of it remaining.'
The excavation of the cist seems to have taken place at the beginning of the 19th century , when ' a heap of bones , and an ancient celt , very much corroded ' were found.
A few metres from the S.E. edge of the cairn is a small mound, 5.5 m in diameter and 0.5 m high. It is not clear if its purpose is sepulchral. ( Source 01 )
(1976) Circular platform - like cairn 15m average diameter and 0.6m high. Near the centre is a slab built cist , the southern slab of which , together with the cover slab is now missing. The cist must originally have been about 1.20 x 0.8 m . ( Source , part of 09 )
(1985) Site , together with the rest of the ridgeway has been fenced to the west as well and most of the surrounding land has been ploughed and is in use for silage / hay. ( Source 08 )
(1989) Little apparent change since 1985 ( Source 09 )
(1996) The site appears inherently unchanged. Other detail of vegetation mentioned . ( Source 13 )

Sources :
01/ PM list// RCAHM/// 1976/ Glam Invent/ p 61 No. 86
02/ PH desc text// Lewis/ S/ 1849/ Topography D*** of Wales/ p 141
03/ Pm Desc text// Rutter/ JG/ 1948/ Prehistoric Gower/ p 55 , 01
04/ PH Desc text// Morgan/ WLI/ 1899/ Ant. Survey of E Gower/ pp 64 - 5
05/ MM Record card/ OS/// 1961/ SN 70 SW 1/
06/ PM Mention// Savory/ HN/ 1974/ Neath Symposium/ Ed. E. Jenkins p 28/
07/ MM Photos/ GGAT/ Long/ T/ 6 . 85//
08/ PM Desc text/ Cadw/ 1985//
09/ MM Desc text// Cadw/ Burnham/ HB/ 1989/ AM 107 387/
10/ MMAP/ RCAHM// 1992// A 116 - 02
11/ MMAP/ RCAHM// 1992// A 118 - 52
12/ MM Record card/ OS/// 1957/ SN 70 SW 1/
13/ MM desc text/ CADW/ Burnham/ HB/ 1996/ AM 107
014/Desc Text/Cadw/ Full Management Report/2006/ Copy in further information file

Events :
E000615 : Mynydd Drumau 1 (year : c1849)
E008444 : Proposed Solar Farm Craig y Perchych, Glais, Swansea (year : 2021)

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