An alignment of stones at Arthog. View from the north.
A probable single stone row measuring 5m long, including four medium and large-sized stones situated on a north facing terrace with a restricted view of the nearby sea. The western part of the row is incorporated into a later kerbed cairn. A nearby quartz boulder represents an outlier. The row is orientated ENE to WSW and stands in an area with broadly contemporary standing stones, cairns a stone setting and another stone row.
Location
| Wales | Gwynedd | Rest of Wales | SH 65279 13929 |
| Lat 52.70618244 Long -3.99545713 | |||
Map showing the location of Arthog stone row.
Plan showing the Arthog stone row (black) and the kerbed (pink) cairn (grey). After John Hoyle. Original available at Sky and Landscape.
Originally interpreted as a stone circle, the surviving evidence best fits the idea that this is a kerbed cairn associated with a truncated stone alignment. It has been suggested by Lynch that stones C and D “may have been moved when the monument was incorporated into a field wall” (Lynch, 1995, 56). Whilst this suggestion cannot be wholly refuted, the stones stand some distance from the former field wall and tantalisingly the form of the site is very reminiscent of the stone alignments at Lakehead Hill East and Merrivale 3, where stones of earlier stone rows had been partly incorporated into a later cairn. On balance, the lack of any evidence to support the field wall interpretation combined with the powerful parallels lends considerable support to the hypothesis that this site represents a stone alignment. Final confirmation, as with so many rows, may only be possible after excavation.
Characteristics
| Type: Single | Length: 5m |
| No. of stones: 4 | Size of stones: Large and medium |
| Orientation: 73° | Altitude: 208m |
| Upper end: – | Lower end: Cairn |
| Straight (Yes or No) : No | Sea View: Yes |
| Context: Cairn | |
| Notes: | |
Other Information
| Public Access: No |
| Land Status: Snowdonia National Park |
| Scheduled Ancient Monument: ME105 |
Identification
Category: Probable. This alignment of stones is most likely to be a stone row. The relationship with the cairn is typical and the visual appearance strongly supports a stone row interpretation.
Typology
This stone row is of Type S3. Information on this form of stone row and other rows of this type is available here.
Photographs
The stone alignment and kerbed cairn are situated on a natural terrace with spectacular, but restricted views towards the Llyn Peninsula.
A confused jumble of stones at ground level. View from the north.
Makes more sense when viewed from above.
The stone alignment leads towards a kerbed cairn which seems to have incorporated at least two of the stones.
An alignment of four stones situated next to a large quartz boulder. The boulder may have originally formed part of the alignment or cairn, but could also have been moved here in more recent years.
Access Information
Car parking is available at SH 65755 14316. Walk south along the public highway to SH 65863 14226. From here head south along a footpath to SH 65545 13823. Then head west to SH 65288 13938. The row is in the field on your left and can be seen clearly. Permission to enter the field will need to be sought locally.
Online Resources
Megalithic Portal Modern Antiquarian Coflein Archwilio
Other References
Lynch, F., 1995. A guide to ancient and historic Wales – Gwynedd, H.M. Stationery Office.
Timeline
VISITED:- 31st July 2016
FIRST PUBLISHED:- 20th August 2016
LAST UPDATED:- 15th March 2019
The Stone Rows of Great Britain 