<< 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 FactoryCountry: 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:
5 | Perfect |
4 | Almost Perfect |
3 | Reasonable but with some damage |
2 | Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site |
1 | Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks |
0 | No data. |
-1 | Completely destroyed |
5 | Superb |
4 | Good |
3 | Ordinary |
2 | Not Good |
1 | Awful |
0 | No data. |
5 | Can be driven to, probably with disabled access |
4 | Short walk on a footpath |
3 | Requiring a bit more of a walk |
2 | A long walk |
1 | In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find |
0 | No data. |
5 | co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates |
4 | co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map |
3 | co-ordinates scaled from a bad map |
2 | co-ordinates of the nearest village |
1 | co-ordinates of the nearest town |
0 | no data |
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I have visited· I would like to visit
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
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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