Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Cist Arthur, Skirrid, Abergavenny



Cist Arthur, or Arthur's chest, on Skirrid Fawr (Ysgyryd Fawr) overlooks Abergavenny.


Cadeir Arthur, Sugarloaf, Abergavenny

On top of the Sugarloaf stands a collection of rocks known as Cadeir Arthur or Arthur's Chair.






Coed y Bwynydd


Clidda Gawr in the parish of Bettws Newydd, and his abode in the place called Cloddeu Caer Clidda, and that land today is called Tir Clidda in the parish of Llanarth. The hill fort at Coed y Bwynydd is a potential site for this giants castle.

Gwehelog Fawr


Bryn Buga is the Welsh name for Usk, so Castell Bryn Buga may either refer to the castle on the outskirts of the town or to the large hill-fort on Gwehelog Fawr hill.

Usk Castle



Could be the dwelling of one of the giants of the area.

Llangybi Castle



Another of the castles in the area said to have been inhabited by giants. This time by the giant Cybi Gawr.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Cas Troggy, Wentwood


A son of Buga Gawr, Trogi Gawr dwelt in the castle still called Trogi by Coed Gwent (Wentwood).

Newbridge-on-Usk, Ford of Pleadings


In another story in the Vita Cadoci, Arthur and the saint are in dispute over a general named Ligessawc who murdered some of Arthur's men. Finally, a blood-price of a hundred cows is settled for each man and the cattle are driven to the river Usk to be handed over to Cei and Bedwyr. Unfortunately, as the cows are led through the water, they are miraculously transformed into bundles of fern. That, says the Vita, is why the place is called "Tref redinauc, that is fern homestead. Also that ford, about which the pleading took place, is called Rith Guurtebou."

Tref Redinauc is the modern Tredunnock near Newbridge-on-Usk.

Castell-y-bwch, Henllys



The giant, Bwch Gawr lived in a place still called Castell Bwch between Caerleon on Usk and Llan Ternan, and he also lived in another Castell Bwch between Pentref Bach and the Henllys in the county of Gwent.

Lodge Hill Fort, Caerleon





The Iron Age hillfort could very well have been inhabited my various people throughout history, as it commanded a prime position over the surrounding countryside.

Roman Amphitheatre, Caerleon



Spoken about in many historical tales as a site for King Arthur's Round Table, with Caerleon being the Camelot. When the wooden superstructure collapsed over time, it left a large raised mound, so it was easy to see why it was taken to be the Round Table.