DescriptionGroup of five large circular enclosures, measuring 27m-33m diameter, discovered by Cambridge University aerial photographers in 1975 (CUCAP Negs BVP 067-9). They represent a plough-levelled barrow cemetary or group of open ceremonial enclosures sited on a prominent gravel shelf in a lowland setting.
T. Driver, 28/11/2006
The complex of burial monuments at Pant-y-peran, Rhydypennau occupies the `Y? fork of a major lowland valley. The surviving plough-levelled complex, discovered in the drought of 1975 (St Joseph 1975), is regionally unusual and there is no comparable group of lowland Bronze Age burial mounds known from the west Wales coast. To the north is a group of five large ring ditches, probably representing former barrows of some considerable size (ranging between 30-35m diameter). This plough-levelled barrow cemetery is sited on a striking riverine terrace with a level summit and a steep slops on the west side which drops down to a minor river valley. In essence this is a great stage set, backed by rising ground and set at the junction of three valleys. Some 200 to the south-east and away from the terrace edge is a small, close-set group of up to five barrows carefully sited on one of several undulating gravel ridges hereabouts. These range between 6-10m diameter and central grave pits are visible in three. A rectangular enclosure close to the main barrow cemetery is probably prehistoric, and may be contemporary. There is additional evidence for wider ceremonial use of the lowlands immediately around Rhydypennau. Some 200m north-east of the bridge at Rhydypennau is the find spot of a flat axe (Briggs, Cardiganshire County History Volume 1, 1994, 217); 600m north-east at Dole is a pair of burnt mounds, steadily being ploughed away, while to the south at Pen-y-garn a large barrow was removed sometime in the early years of the 19th century. The former presence of this monument, recorded to date on place-name evidence alone (garn = cairn), was documented by J. G. Williams in 1867. The Llandre cropmarks last showed during RCAHMW aerial reconnaissance on 17 July 2006 (image refs. AP_2006_2523 to 2530)
T. Driver, RCAHMW, 4 February 2008.
Geophysical survey and evaluation was undertaken by Dyfed Archaeological Trust in 2008 (Poucher 2008).
T. Driver, RCAHMW, 17th March 2016
References:
Driver, T G, 1998 (i), Llandre, Geneu'r Glyn (SN 626 862), Archaeology in Wales 38, pp94-95.
Driver, T. 2009. Barrows, cropmarks and Lewis Morris: An Early Bronze Age ritual complex discovered at Dollwen, Goginan, Ceredigion, Ceredigion Volume XVI, Number 1. 1-21
Poucher, P. 2008. LLANDRE. Archaeology in Wales 48, 113.
Poucher, P. 2008. Llety Ceiro, Landre [sic], Ceredigion: Archaeological Evaluation 2008. Project Record No. 65071. Dyfed Archaeological Trust (unpublished).
