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Stonehenge Sacred Symbolism - Ancient Beliefs in Britain and Northern Europe

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory - Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry in Wales in Conwy

Submitted by TimPrevett on Wednesday, 18 July 2012  Page Views: 32206

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Country: Wales County: Conwy Type: Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry
Nearest Town: Conwy  Nearest Village: Penmaenmawr
Map Ref: SH71707490  Landranger Map Number: 115
Latitude: 53.255548N  Longitude: 3.924655W
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
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
5 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
5

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trystan_hughes SumDoood would like to visit

Marko visited on 23rd Apr 2021 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 2

KevB visited on 6th Oct 2012 - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 5 Access: 2 Modern quarrying came close to destroying the site. One of several heavily worked rock faces and much evidence of worked blocks, edged axe blanks, flaked pieces and one exceptionally good insitu piece.

TimPrevett have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 4 Ambience: 4.5 Access: 2

Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by TimPrevett : Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory sits on the extinct volcano above the North Wales coastal town of Penmaenmawr. Spectacular views abound, with panoramic views to the Tal Y Fan mountain to the south, the Great Orme to the east, and Anglesey to the west. Access is questionable; the 'volcanic plug' from which was taken microdiorite or augite granophyre is on top of a ridge which is still being qua... (Vote or comment on this photo)
Ancient Mine/Quarry in Conwy. Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory sits on the extinct volcano above the North Wales coastal town of Penmaenmawr. Spectacular views abound, with panoramic views to the Tal Y Fan mountain to the south, the Great Orme to the east, and Anglesey to the west.

Access is questionable; the 'volcanic plug' from which was taken microdiorite or augite granophyre is on top of a ridge which is still being quarried on its east and north sides for rocks of different geological specifications. The outcrop can be easily viewed at SH 717749, to the north west in favourable weather conditions from the same location as Druids' Circle, Moelfre Stone Row / Alignment, and Circle 278.

The rocks used for the axe making were broken off the cliff in a suitably sized, workable block. Using a hammerstone, flakes were then broken off to get the stone closer to the desired product's shape. It was then removed from the mountainside for the final shaping and much longer task of polishing, and eventually placement in the end of a long wooden handle.

Flakes, hammestones, and axe heads have been found in a variety of stages of production at Graig Lwyd. All over England and Wales axe heads from this location have been found, which is referred to as the third largest neolithic axe factory. Bangor Museum has exhibits relating to this important archaeological site.

According to my CADW guidebook grid ref and diagrams, the rock faces quarried will be in the ridges in the centre of the top of this mountainside, which is seen from the south east.

There are also some axe heads from Graig Lwyd on show at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery

Note: Stories in stone walk and exhibition launch, Sat 21 July
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Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein : Graig Lwyd axe factory. Spring 2009. Thin butted Danish part polished Danien flint working axe nestled amongst the rock. Enjoy Blingo (Vote or comment on this photo)

Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by Bladup : Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory. You can clearly see the type of stone they were after and how different it is to the rock surrounding it. Fine grain indeed. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by Bladup : Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory. The SW site1 work station. You can clearly see the type of stone they were after and how different it is to the rock surrounding it. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by Bladup : Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory. The work station in front of the NE site2 axe factory. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by Bladup : Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory, showing both workstations. The SW site1 on the left and the NE site2 on the right. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory
Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory submitted by Bladup : Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory. You can clearly see the type of stone they were after and how different it is to the rock surrounding it. Notice all the rocks on the floor that were broken away to get to the "good stuff".

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 200m S 178° Graig Lwyd Cairns* Cairn (SH717747)
 269m SSE 147° Cors Y Carneddau* Stone Circle (SH71847467)
 490m S 176° Moelfre cairn* Cairn (SH71727441)
 562m ESE 116° Monument 280* Ring Cairn (SH72207464)
 565m SE 124° Cefn Coch (Penmaenmawr)* Ring Cairn (SH72167457)
 635m ESE 111° Druids Circle (Penmaenmawr)* Stone Circle (SH72297466)
 818m E 97° Circle 275* Stone Circle (SH7251174774)
 903m E 95° Fridd Wanc* Round Barrow(s) (SH726748)
 1.1km SE 125° Cerrig Gwynion (Conwy)* Cist (SH72627423)
 1.4km SSE 155° Gwynion Cairns* Barrow Cemetery (SH72257366)
 1.4km E 85° Maen Crwn* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SH73107499)
 1.5km E 83° Red Farm* Stone Circle (SH73227505)
 2.0km SW 235° Dinas Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SH700738)
 2.5km ESE 120° Cefn Maen Amor* Stone Circle (SH73847359)
 2.6km E 88° Waen Gyrach* Ring Cairn (SH74277493)
 2.6km ESE 120° Maen Penddu* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SH73907357)
 2.7km E 84° Fairy Glen Settlement* Ancient Village or Settlement (SH74387513)
 2.8km E 85° Tydden-Grasod* Cist (SH74487508)
 2.9km SW 231° Garreg Fawr* Carving (SH6939373132)
 3.0km SSW 194° Llanerch Fedw* Cairn (SH709720)
 3.1km E 81° Hafodty* Stone Circle (SH74747532)
 3.1km ENE 72° Llyn-y-Wrach* Ring Cairn (SH74657578)
 3.1km E 87° Maen Hir (Conwy)* Standing Stone (Menhir) (SH74787496)
 3.1km S 183° Bwlch y Ddeufaen N Standing Stone (Menhir) (SH7145671828)
 3.1km S 182° Bwlch y Ddeufaen S Standing Stone (Menhir) (SH7151071772)
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"Graig Lwyd Neolithic Axe Factory" | Login/Create an Account | 1 comment
  
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Stories in stone walk and exhibition launch, Sat 21 July by Andy B on Wednesday, 18 July 2012
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Sat 21 July; 13.30-16.30

Come and see our brand new exhibition about stone working at the extraordinary Neolithic quarry at Graiglwyd, Penmaenmawr. The launch will begin with a guided walk to visit the quarry site and its surrounding archaeological landscape, led by the Snowdonia National Park Archaeologist. After the walk, come along to New York Cottages Museum for light refreshments and to enjoy our new exhibition. Part of our two week celebration of stone working in Penmaenmawr - 'Stories in Stone'.

Location: New York Cottages Museum, Unit 4, New York Cottages, Bangor Road, Penmaenmawr, Conwy. LL34 6LE. Easily signposted off the A55 between Conwy and Bangor.

Org: New York Cottages Museum, Penmaenmawr
Name: Helen Bradley
Tel: 01492 575 535
Email: helen.bradley@conwy.gov.uk

Part of the Festival of British Archaeology 2012
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