Maen Llia
Encyclopedia
Maen Llia is a standing stone
which sits on moorland at OS grid reference SN 924192 in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the county of Powys
in South Wales
. The stone which is composed of Old Red Sandstone
measures 3.7m (12ft) high by 2.8m (9ft) wide by 0.6m (2ft). It is roughly diamond-shaped and is partly moss-covered. Its age and original purpose are unknown though it is thought to date from the Bronze Age
. It is a popular tourist attraction, lying just 30m off a minor road running north from the village of Ystradfellte
in the Waterfall Country
towards the hamlet of Heol Senni
and Brecon
, the former county town of Brecknockshire
.
There is a low heather-covered henge nearby. Another significant standing stone, Maen Madoc
, lies just off the old Roman road known as Sarn Helen
about 3.5km to the south. Whilst this latter stone bears legible writing, there is none visible on Maen Llia though some faint lettering was reported still to be visible in the mid twentieth century.
Legend has it that the stone goes down to the river, the Afon Llia
to drink on occasion. This tale seems likely to be an allusion to the fact that its shadow is cast across the moorland as far as the river when the sun is low in the evening sky.
Standing stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
which sits on moorland at OS grid reference SN 924192 in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the county of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
in South Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The stone which is composed of Old Red Sandstone
Old Red Sandstone
The Old Red Sandstone is a British rock formation of considerable importance to early paleontology. For convenience the short version of the term, 'ORS' is often used in literature on the subject.-Sedimentology:...
measures 3.7m (12ft) high by 2.8m (9ft) wide by 0.6m (2ft). It is roughly diamond-shaped and is partly moss-covered. Its age and original purpose are unknown though it is thought to date from the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
. It is a popular tourist attraction, lying just 30m off a minor road running north from the village of Ystradfellte
Ystradfellte
Ystradfellte is a small village in Powys, Wales, in the Fforest Fawr area of the Brecon Beacons National Park.Because of the geography and topography of the area the village of Ystradfellte is not visible from the nearest main road, the A4059 Hirwaun to A470 stretch.Ystradfellte comes under...
in the Waterfall Country
Waterfall Country (Wales)
Waterfall Country is the name given to an area around the head of the Vale of Neath in South Wales where an unusually large number of spectacular and publicly accessible falls are to be found...
towards the hamlet of Heol Senni
Heol Senni
Heol Senni is a hamlet in the valley of the Afon Senni just north of the Fforest Fawr section of the Brecon Beacons National Park. It lies within the community of Maescar in the county of Powys, Wales. The Welsh name means the 'road by Senni' and reflects its position near the crossing of the...
and Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
, the former county town of Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire
Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:...
.
There is a low heather-covered henge nearby. Another significant standing stone, Maen Madoc
Maen Madoc
right|thumb|250px|Maen Madoc, with the [[Roman roads in Britain|Roman road]] [[Sarn Helen]] on the left of the imageThe Maen Madoc or Maen Madog stone is a menhir which lies adjacent to the Roman road Sarn Helen that runs across the Brecon Beacons in what was a key area of Roman Wales, about 2km...
, lies just off the old Roman road known as Sarn Helen
Sarn Helen
right|thumb|250px|A section of Sarn Helen near Betws-y-coed.Sarn Helen was a Roman road in Wales, running from Aberconwy in the north to Carmarthen in the south.It was some 160 miles in length...
about 3.5km to the south. Whilst this latter stone bears legible writing, there is none visible on Maen Llia though some faint lettering was reported still to be visible in the mid twentieth century.
Legend has it that the stone goes down to the river, the Afon Llia
Afon Llia
The Afon Llia is a short river in Powys, Wales and which is wholly contained within the Brecon Beacons National Park.Several streams draining the eastern slopes of Fan Nedd and the western slopes of Fan Dringarth in the Fforest Fawr section of the national park meet to form the river which then...
to drink on occasion. This tale seems likely to be an allusion to the fact that its shadow is cast across the moorland as far as the river when the sun is low in the evening sky.
See also
- http://www.brecon-beacons.com/archaelogy-Sarn-Helen-Maen-Madoc-Maen-Llia.htm
- http://www.megalithic-research-wales.co.uk/MRW/allstones/maenllia/maenllia.html