Sea Views at Bryn Seward

Closed sea triangle visible from the eastern end of the stone row.

Plan showing position of the stones.

Sea Views along the row

Google Earth and Heywhatsthat both show that the Bryn Seward stone alignment has uninterrupted views of the sea. The reality is rather different as neither is capable of taking into account the large cairn next to the row. Without the cairn, sea views would indeed exist along the entire length, but the presence of the cairn means that along a short length of the row there is no view of the sea. The cairn therefore acts as a blocking feature and means that for a second or two as you walk along the row the sea disappears to reappear as a perfect closed triangle as the top of the row is reached. One has to acknowledge the possibility of this being merely a coincidence, but given the cumulative evidence for this type of “treat” being a characteristic of most rows, the chances of it being deliberate are much increased. Indeed this forms part of a well-established pattern and provides further evidence for measurable visual links between the rows and the sea. The fundamental and potentially exciting difference at Bryn Seward is that the visual blocking of the sea is artificial. The “treat” was achieved only by the “trick” of constructing the cairn. This would suggest that the row and cairn are contemporary, but more importantly indicates that the row builders may have sometimes enhanced the immediate surroundings to ensure the creation of the perfect conditions for their purposes.

Views towards the sea from the row are restricted towards the upper end by a large cairn. This certainly looks deliberate, and if so is evidence that the row builders would sometimes alter the immediate surroundings to ensure a particular reveal. View from above and  south east. 

The sea view from Stone E at the bottom of the row. A closed sea triangle with the closure formed by the Llyn Peninsula.

The sea view from Stone D. As one walks westward along the row the sea triangle shrinks.

The sea view from Stone C. The sea triangle is now very limited.

Between Stone B and C the associated cairn completely blocks the sea view. If the cairn had not been built in this position views to the sea would have been visible along the entire length of the row. Whilst it can not be proven that the cairn was erected at this spot to block the view, this is certainly the result and the possibility of deliberation cannot be discounted. This circumstantial evidence for the alteration of the natural topography to create a visual treat is a potentially important insight into the intention of the row builders and once again points to a close visual relastionship between a row and the landscape in which it was erected.

Sea view from Stone B. The final visual treat is provided by a perfect sea triangle formed on the left hand side by the natural slope and on the right by the cairn.  This view feels deliberate and whilst some uncertainty remains regarding the position of the top of the row this view strongly suggests that it may have been at or close to this spot.