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Unless otherwise stated, this image is the copyright of the submitter. Contact them for permission to reproduce it. |  | | Description | This is the exploded stone, showing the spread of debris, some bits a couple of feet away. There's cold and then there's cold, this must have been beyond cold. It's curious though, even with all the frost about, around the base of the stone theres nothing, just a ring of unfrozen grass, but only on this one stone. This picture taken before the sun had shown itself. |
| Posted Comments: cerrig
(2010-01-31) | I have been back to this circle to check on a few things,one of which was the whereabouts of the other stones.There are 6 in the circle perimeter that I could find, 3 being stubs just covered by the grass,only findeable by probing.Another one is very similar to this one,but it is just a few inches tall now and similarly broken and jagged along it's top. The other perimeter stone is the larger slab in the other photo's,which is an oddy,as all the other perimeter stones are much the same size as the one in this photo,about the size of a laptop but thicker.
In the South East corner is a grassed over area of larger slabs, a common feature in the Beacons circles to the South.There are at least 2 upright slabs,now just stubs,and other stones,forming a kind of box shape.The orientation of this being to the middle of the circle to the N/W,and to Hay Bluff to the S/E.
There is a circle at the foot of Hay Bluff,Blaenau. Blaenau has one remaining upright left,a tallish slab that is pointing,along it's flat edge,to this circle. They are intervisible,but the distance is over 20 klms,so no point waving to your mates,unless they've got really good eyes.
All the stones here are slab type,which is unusual for the more southerly circles,but it may reflect on the local supply.
Possibly the other stones in this circle have suffered the same fate as this one,but sooner. I'll bet they were all fine till just after the guarantee ran out,should've gone for the extended warranty. | Thingy
(2010-02-05) | Fascinating. Was there any evidence of vandalism, perhaps before the frost set in? The absence of frost around the base could be the result of an impact (frost knocked off the grass) but this doesn't explain the frosted fragments. Also, are such events reported to RCAHMW, so that the pieces can be preserved, or the damage noted? I'm often terrified by the fragility of many of the stones regularly battered by Welsh frosts, and feel they can't survive much longer. I've also wanted to start some form of pictorial database that regularly records the state of these artefacts, if for no better reason than to monitor their deterioration. I've rated your pic 10 but it would be much higher if allowed, because it captures an important moment in a very, very long history. | cerrig
(2010-02-05) | I think that frost is the only likely explanation for this. It is a very quiet place with virtually no visitors,so human causes would be a remote possibility.
There are other stones there,like this one,but most are stumps and one is half the height and similarly damaged along it's top,but no signs of any debris.
I have informed RCAHMW,and I hope to get them up there some time to check out some other sites,but their budget is spent for this year,so it will have to wait. | frogcottage42
(2010-02-21) | I have seen similar damage from lightening strikes but usually more obvious damage to grass and soil. Any other evidence? | cerrig
(2010-03-29) | frogcottage, I'm sorry for not replying to your question. It slipped under the radar somehow. I don't know of any other evidence that would indicate lightening, but I don't know when this damage occurred, so it's hard to say one way or the other. | frogcottage42
(2010-03-30) | No problem Cerrig, if you look at how far the flakes are from the stone it would imply an almost explosive force, whereas frost damage usually results in pieces simply dropping away as they thaw.
Key signs of lightening are difficult to see but tiny beads of glass do form where sand becomes fused in the heat .
Fractured rocks placed vertically in the ground when damp are very good at conducting the "positive attractors" to which lightning connects.I have come across a couple of other pictures on this site of lightning damaged stones but I can't remember where, I will send you links if I come across them. | frogcottage42
(2010-03-30) | Check out this stone, it's a different kind of damage but still demonstrates the capacity of lightning to damage these monuments; http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/10197/ballyconry.html
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