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<< Text Pages >> Cwm Mawr Stone Axe Factory - Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry in Wales in Powys

Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 06 May 2008  Page Views: 10984

Multi-periodSite Name: Cwm Mawr Stone Axe Factory
Country: Wales County: Powys Type: Ancient Mine, Quarry or other Industry

Map Ref: SO305950
Latitude: 52.548392N  Longitude: 3.02636W
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
 no data Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 no data 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.
 no data 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
 3
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Stone Axe Factory in Powys. Cwm Mawr Axe Factory, Hyssington, Archaeological Survey and Excavation 2007. A programme of survey and trial excavation has now been completed in an attempt to confirm the source of the Group XII Bronze Age battle axes and axe hammers which have been found in Wales and the Marches. The axes are made from a distinct rock type known as picrite which is has a very limited distribution, with one of the known outcrops being a small hill near Cwm Mawr, just to the north-west of the village of Hyssington in eastern Montgomeryshire.

The Cwm Mawr area was first suggested as a potential source for the axes following a study in the 1950s, the results of which were published in a paper by Shotton, Chitty and Seaby in the Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society in 1951. They identified a number of likely rock sources around the hill, including a small quarry, and concluded that the site 'clearly calls for excavation'. Since the 1950s other products from the axe factory have been found over a wide distribution and a number of other local features such as picrite outcrops, boulders, and small quarries have been recorded.

The present project was undertaken with funding from Cadw in an attempt to define the extent of prehistoric workings and assess their potential, as well as considering their future management.

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Nearby Images from Geograph Britain and Ireland:
SO3095 : Rolling farmland by Dave Croker
by Dave Croker
©2008(licence)
SO3094 : View of Cwm-mawr by Dave Croker
by Dave Croker
©2008(licence)
SO3094 : Abandoned property high on the hill by Jeremy Bolwell
by Jeremy Bolwell
©2018(licence)
SO3095 : Brithdir Farm by Dave Croker
by Dave Croker
©2008(licence)
SO3095 : Old barn by Dave Croker
by Dave Croker
©2008(licence)

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The Materiality of Stone, Tilley

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"Cwm Mawr Stone Axe Factory" | Login/Create an Account | 6 News and Comments
  
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Re: Bronze Age axe ''''factory'''' survey by Anonymous on Monday, 04 July 2016
This information has enhanced my knowledge about the history of power. It is very well written and also very easy to understand. Custom help in write my dissertation
[ Reply to This ]

Cwm Mawr Early Bronze Age stone quarry by Andy B on Friday, 13 June 2014
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Cwm Mawr Early Bronze Age stone quarry
Staff: Steve Burrow [with Nigel Jones, Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust]

Battle-axes and axe-hammers mark the final substantial stone tool type to be developed at a time when bronze was becoming widespread. Why they were adopted and how their production and distribution relates to that of bronze axes is a pivotal question for artefact studies at this time.

The picrite source at Cwm Mawr is one of the few rock outcrops known to have been systematically exploited for the production of these tools and, despite the identification of quarries along its length during the 1950s, it has not been investigated in detail. Work began on resolving this lacuna in 2007 when Nigel Jones of Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust undertook an exploratory excavation of a number of the quarries. This led to a partnership project with the Museum which will involve excavation, geological survey and an associated schools' programme, the latter managed by Ken Brassil.

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/rhagor/research/archaeology/1491/
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Bronze Age axe 'factory' survey by Anonymous on Sunday, 22 July 2012
I found a stone shaped hammer many years ago in a field behind my house near the town of Llandeilo. It has a diamond shaped head and a smooth handle as a grip. I am unsure if it is if any interest but if this simple description sparks someone's imagination then please feel free to contact me. [phone number edited out. ] [Admin edit and note - it's not wise to put your phone number on the open internet, which this is. If you'd like to discuss your interesting find here, may I suggest you photograph it and put it on flickr or webshots or similar, then register here, post a comment and provide a link to your image. That would be much safer.]
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Bronze Age axe 'factory' survey by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Monday, 23 July 2012
    (User Info | Send a Message)
    Hi,
    Never post your phone number. Never. Take your find to the local museum. If you post shots here I will tell you what it is (or isn't ).
    [ Reply to This ]
      Stone hammer by Anonymous on Monday, 23 July 2012
      Ok thanks for the info! I will try getting some photos! I did take it to the local archeological centre in Llandeilo approx 20 years ago when I was about 14. I was told nothing at all. I will post some pictures soon enough.
      [ Reply to This ]

Bronze Age axe 'factory' survey by Andy B on Tuesday, 06 May 2008
(User Info | Send a Message)
Archaeologists are hoping to unearth evidence of what they believe to have been one of Bronze Age Britain's largest axe-making "factories".

Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) said the axes, made from a distinctive type rock - known as picrite - had been found throughout the country.

A three-week survey at the 4,000-year-old site will start soon in Hyssington, near Welshpool, Powys.

The trust's Chris Martin said it may have been a large industrial centre.

The trust carried out a preliminary survey last year, but it did not uncover the factory site.

However, it said test results from 2007 proved that picrite had been mined in an area known locally as Cwm Mawr, and a study in the 1950s had suggested it was an area where axes had been made.

Archaeologist Mr Martin added: "The axes are more commonly found in the border areas and the West Midlands, but they have been found throughout Britain, as far apart as Devon and Cornwall and the north of England.

"As the axes have been found around Britain it suggests they were exported in quite large numbers.

"As for their uses, we're not sure if the axes were used to split logs or split heads or just used for ceremonial duties."

Mr Martin said they were fairly distinctive because they were made of a certain type of picrite rock, which could be traced back to the Cwm Mawr area.

"We assume that quite a few people worked at the site and in terms of the Bronze Age it could have been quite a big industrial centre," he said.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7371344.stm
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