The second is in the Parish of Hen-lhan Amgoed, in a field belonging to Parkeu, and is almost such a Monument as the former. At present it lyes on the ground; but considering its form, 'tis probable it stood heretofore upright; and if so, the Inscription was read downwards.
Both these names of Menvendan and Barcun, are now obsolete; nor do I remember to have read ei∣ther of them, in any Genealogical MS. But near this Monument there is a place call'd Kevn Varehen, which may seem to be denominated, either from this Barcun, or some other of the same name. The third and fourth Inscription was copied by my above-mention'd friend Mr. Erasmus Saunders, from a po∣lish'd Free-stone at the West-end of the Church of Lhan Vihangel Gerwerth.
The fourth (which seems less intelligible than the rest) was also communicated by the same hand. The stone whence he copied it, is neatly carv'd, about 6 foot high, and 2 foot broad, and has a cavity on the top, which makes me suspect it to have been no other than the Pedestal of a Cross. It may be seen at a place deno∣minated from it, Kae'r Maen, not far from Aber San∣nan; but for the meaning of the Inscription, if it be any other than the Stone-cutter's name, (tho' I con∣fess I know no name like it) I must leave it to the Reader's conjecture.
In the Parish of Lhan Vair y Bryn, we find mani∣fest signs of a place possess'd by the Romans. For not far from the East-end of the Church, Labourers frequently dig up bricks, and meet with some other marks of Roman Antiquitiy; and there is a very notable Roman way of Gravel and small Pebles, continued from that Church to Lhan Brân, the seat of the worshipful Sackvil Gwyn Esq which (as I am told) may be also trac'd betwixt this Lhan Vair, and Lhan Deilaw vawr, and is visible in several other places.
This Country abounds with ancient Forts, Camps, and Tumuli or Barrows, which we have not room here to take notice of. I shall therefore mention on∣ly one Barrow, call'd Krîg y Dyrn, in the Parish of Tre'lech, which seems particularly remarkable. The circumference of it at bottom may be about 60 pa∣ces, the height about 6 yards. It rises with an easie ascent, and is hollow on the top, gently inclining from the circumference to the center. This Barrow is not a mount of Earth, as others generally are; but seems to have been such a heap of stones, as are call'd in Wales Karnedheu (whereof the Reader may see some account in Radnorshire) cover'd with Turf. At the center of the cavity on the top we find a vast rude Lhech [or flat stone] somewhat of an oval form, about three yards in length, five foot over where broadest, and about ten or twelve inches thick. A Gentleman, to satisfie my curiosity, having em∣ploy'd some Labourers to search under it, found it af∣ter removing much stone, to be the covering of such a barbarous Monument as we call Kist-vaen, or Stone-chest; which was about four foot and a half in length, and about three foot broad, but somewhat narrower at the East than West-end. 'Tis made up of 7 stones, viz. the covering-stone already mention'd, two side-stones, one at each end, and one behind each of these for the better securing or bolstering of them; all equally rude, and about the same thickness, the two last excepted, which are considerably thicker. They found as well within the Chest as without, some rude pieces of brick (or stones burnt like them) and free-stone, some of which were wrought. They observ'd also some pieces of bones, but such as they supposed only brought in by Foxes, but not sinking to the bot∣tom of the Chest, we know not what else it may afford.
Krîg y Dyrn (the name of this Tumulus) is now scarce intelligible; but if a conjecture may be al∣low'd, I should be apt to interpret it King's Barrow. I am sensible that even such as are well acquainted with the Welsh Tongue, ma•• at first view think this a groundless opinion, and wonder what I aim at; but when they consider that the common word Teyrnas, which signifies a Kingdom, is only a derivative from the old word Teyrn, (which was originally the same with Tyrannus, and signified a King or Prince;) they will perhaps acknowledge it not altogether improba∣ble. And considering the rudeness of the Monument describ'd, and yet the labour and force required in erecting it, I am apt to suspect it the Barrow of some British Prince, who might live probably before the Roman Conquest. For seeing it is much too barba∣rous to be supposed Roman; and that we do not find in History that the Saxons were ever concern'd here, or the Danes any farther than in plundering the Sea-coasts, it seems necessary to conclude it British. That it was a Royal Sepulchre I am apt to infer, partly from the signification of the name; which being not understood in these ages, could not therefore be any novel invention of the vulgar; and partly for that (as I hinted already) more labour and force was re∣quired here than we can suppose to be allow'd to persons of inferiour quality. That 'tis older than Christianity, there's no room to doubt; but that it was before the Roman Conquest, is only my conjecture, sup∣posing that after the Britains were reduced by the Ro∣mans, they had none whom they could call Teyrn or King, whose corps or ashes might be reposited here.
Gwâly Vilast or Bwrdh Arthur in Lhan Boudy parish, is a monument in some respect like that we have de∣scribed at this Barrow, viz. a rude stone about ten yards in circumference, and above three foot thick, supported by four pillars, which are about two foot and a half in length.
But Buarth Arthur or Meineu Gŵyr, on a Mountain near Kîl y maen lhŵyd, is one of that kind of circular Stone-monuments our English Historians ascribe to the Danes. The Diameter of the Circle is about twenty yards. The stones are as rude as may be, and pitch'd on end at uncertain distances from each other, some at three or four foot, but others about two yards; and are also of several heights, some being about three or four foot high, and others five or six. There are now standing here fifteen of them; but there seem to be seven or eight carried off. The entry into it for about the space of three yards, is guarded on each side with stones much lower and less than those of the circle, pitch'd so close as to be contiguous. And over against this avenue, at the distance of about 200 paces, there stand on end three other large, rude stones, which I therefore note particularly, because there are also four or five stones erected at such a di∣stance from that circular Monument they call King's-stones near Little Rolrich in Oxfordshire. As for the name of Bruarth Arthur, 'tis only a nick name of the