<< Our Photo Pages >> Bedd yr Afanc - Passage Grave in Wales in Pembrokeshire

Submitted by vicky on Wednesday, 24 November 2004  Page Views: 19869

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Bedd yr Afanc
Country: Wales County: Pembrokeshire Type: Passage Grave
Nearest Town: Newport  Nearest Village: Brynberian
Map Ref: SN10793458  Landranger Map Number: 145
Latitude: 51.977384N  Longitude: 4.756329W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 2 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 4

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Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Adam Stanford : Bedd-yr-Afanc (PEM 27), also known as Bryn Berian is located at 142m AOD at the centre of a dramatic U-shaped valley, on a slightly raised oval plateau surrounded by a raised bog and is the only definite example of a gallery grave in Wales. Text adapted from the forthcoming book: The Architecture of Death: Neolithic Chambered Monuments of Wales by George Nash. Photographed on an Archaeology Safa... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Translated as 'The Grave of the Water Monster', Bedd Yr Afanc is said to be the only gallery grave in Wales.

Two parallel rows of stones survive. The site is in a spectacular location and well worth a visit.
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Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by postman : Looking down the passage. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by postman : A rather dull day but what a great place. (2 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : Bedd yr Afanc is a burial chamber dating from around 3500 BC. It was built as a low, oval mound or cairn within which was a "gallery grave". The main part of the grave is the passage, with ten pairs of upright stones about half a metre tall. This leads to a small, circular chamber at the west end of the mound, marked by seven stones of similar size. None of the capstones have survived. Locate... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by SandyG : View from west (Scale 1m). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by PAB : Sometimes, the scale of a passage tomb can only be appreciated with the addition of a human being... Photo: July 2018

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Penbron : On the lonely bleak moor

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Bladup : Bedd yr Afanc.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by postman : The Preselli mountains provide an extremely adequate backdrop.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by postman : The stones are low and invisible from a distance, but right up close and personal they take on a life of their own. Fab site.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by postman : Had no problem finding it, I somehow got drawn straight to it.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by postman : If you lie down on your belly the low stones become quite impressive.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by sem : My Welsh dictionary translates this as "Grave of the beaver," but I think I prefer water monster. Supposedly difficult to find I had no problems. When you leave the road just head roughly South towards the most significant point on the horizon and the grave "emerges" from the ground in front of you. (2 comments)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by CoralJackz : Drone shot of Bedd yr Afanc

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : looking east along the (believed to be) only example of a gallery grave in Wales. The Preseli hills can be seen on the right with Foel Drygarn hill fort on the right and to the left is frenni Fawr with several bronze age barrows on it.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : showing its local environs, its quite difficult to locate as so low lying

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : Partner to my other photo but looking east now. The ridgeline of the eastern Preseli ridge in view, with the two tops of Foel Drygarn and Frenni Fawr prominent.

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : So this gallery grave which was thought to be possibly of only one in the area or in Wales (I forget) may infact now be just one of a few. I'm following a person on FB who has possibly discovered more in the area which would be amazing (his photos sure look all similar to this one) I guess it's a case if 'watch this space'... exciting! Trying to capture the environs of this site as it's t...

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : Even though it's not rained for several days this was still boggy to get too. If you're going to visit, ideally go in the drier months. Difficult to find due to the gorse/heather obscuring and the low level of the stones. I usually stumble across it but this time used the OS app on my phone and it lead me straight on top of it. It's in a glorious setting and makes you wonder of the communit...

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by PAB : Especially for Angie, this splendid specimen was calling out to me, very close to Bedd yr Afanc! It seemed odd not to have incorporated such a special item into the structure. Photo: July 2018

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by PAB : To appreciate just how monumental this tomb and its setting are... remember that the enigma which is Waun Mawn lies on the hills just above the white house. Photo: July 2018

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by PAB : Bedd yr Afanc passage grave, not the most impressive example in itself, but located in a very impressive setting, and within an easy walk from where we were camping, always a bonus! Photo: July 2018 (1 comment)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Penbron : The lair of the Afanc (2 comments)

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Horatio : Due to its low height this can be fairly difficult to locate in very boggy conditions, great site if you're into stones/megaliths but probably not one to use to pique the laypersons interest

Bedd yr Afanc
Bedd yr Afanc submitted by Bladup : Bedd yr Afanc.

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 661m NE 36° Brynberian Round Barrow(s) (SN112351)
 1.4km WSW 239° Penanty-Isaf Gallery Grave* Passage Grave (SN0956133894)
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 2.1km SW 223° Banc Llwydlos* Ancient Village or Settlement (SN093331)
 2.1km WNW 302° Penlan Stone Pair* Standing Stones (SN09033575)
 2.3km SSW 193° Foel Feddau Cairn (SN102324)
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 2.3km S 176° Cerrigmarchogion* Rock Outcrop (SN10853225)
 2.3km NW 315° Carnedd Meibion Owen Tor 3* Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature (SN092363)
 2.4km ESE 120° Carngoedog* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (SN1283133283)
 2.5km NNW 337° Penfeidr Coedan Stone* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SN099369)
 2.5km NNW 337° Penfeidr Coedan* Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry (SN099369)
 2.5km WSW 256° Waun Mawn NE* Standing Stones (SN08353405)
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 2.8km WSW 249° Tafarn-y-Bwlch* Standing Stones (SN08133370)
 2.8km WSW 255° Waun Mawn W* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SN08033394)
 2.9km NNE 20° Penybenglog fort Hillfort (SN119373)
 3.0km SE 134° Carn Bica* Cairn (SN129324)
 3.1km SE 130° Bedd Arthur* Stone Circle (SN13053251)
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"Bedd yr Afanc" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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Re: Bedd yr Afanc by CoralJackz on Sunday, 16 February 2025
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In this video we explore the history, archaeology and legends of Bedd yr Afanc... Is this the grave of an ancient Welsh water monster...? ;)
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Bedd yr Afanc by coldrum on Wednesday, 22 July 2009
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Coflein:

http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/304063/details/BEDD-YR-AFANC/
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Re: Bedd yr Afanc by PaulM on Wednesday, 29 August 2007
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I visited this site in August 2007. The guides all say the site is in the middle of a treacherous bog - well it probably is but it had dried out when I went. I would take extreme care or avoid when it has been wet.

To get there I took the path from the road at SN111353 having parked outside a house to the west in a small lay-by (by a battered red VW Polo) and walked a couple of hundred metres up the road to the path.

About 100m up the path take the track to the right and you will come to two gates - take the one on the left (the rusty one) and follow the fence that is on your right (running due south) all the way until it takes a turn to the right. When I went, there was a lot of water at this point but it was easy to get round it. Follow the fence line as it runs east-west until you come to the end of it at SN109347. From this point you should see the monument as it is SW from here (but in a year or two I am sure the gorse will have hidden it).

Then walk SW until you reach te grave.

Do not try a short cut back to the road as there isn't one - trust me, I tried!

I'm not sure I agree that it is in a dramatic u-shaped valley as some writers say but it is still surrounded by the impressive hills of Cwcerwyn, Carn Menyn and Foel Drygarn to the south. At te head of the valley to the west is the Tafarn-y-bwlch complex of standing stones.

Ive not uploaded any photos as they dont add anything to Sems' and Archaeology Safari's.
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