Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/57

Rh 12 ft. square to the farmer and a party of six or eight labourers, whenever they are overtaken in their work by a sudden shower; the cattle commonly take refuge under it, and it is surrounded by a great number of small stones, affording a strong presumption that here too there was once a carn.

A large erect cromlech occurs at Llugwy, and more than one fallen cromlech on the neighbouring elevated lands: under the former human bones have been lately found. A double cromlech, thrown down since 1800, is to be seen at Trefor; one is near Holyhead, and there are several others.

In all these cases the cromlechs are composed of stones found in their immediate neighbourhood; thus, those at Plas Newydd, Bodowyr, and one at Llanidan, are of limestone rock found there in situ: those at Llanfaelog and Presaddfed are of the peculiar porphyritic breccia which accompanies the schistose formation of those districts. The cromlechs at Llugwy and in its vicinity are of limestone, and at Trefor of chloritic schist, thus affording the inference that they could not have been brought from any considerable distance. The immense rocks at Hên Bias are of the limestone of that spot, on which indeed they stand.

On the hills of Caernarvonshire may be found numerous carns (or carneddau) opened by some previous examiners, (tradition says, by robbers in search for gold,) and in the midst are still to be seen the upright stones of the coffin or tomb, with the upper slanting stone (or cromlech) thrust off and lying by their side. We apprehend that Wales is full of such remains, and could they be exhumed, under proper authority, the result would be very valuable for the advancement of our archæological knowledge.