HENGES

The other type of Neolithic monument, of a rather later date, which is found in this area is the Henge. These consist of a roughly circular area enclosed by a bank and ditch, and might contain arrangements of upright stones or large wooden posts. They can be quite difficult to identify without excavation, as they can be confused with other types of circular enclosure of different periods, but one of their distinguishing features is that the bank is usually outside the ditch, not inside as it would be if it were needed for defence.

Not many henges are known in this area, but there is one in a field near Newton between Pilton Green and Llanddewi on Gower. It can occasionally be seen from the air as a cropmark, as in this photograph taken by the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments in Wales. Photograph ©RCAHMW.

Roll the cursor over the images to see the features mentioned in the text.

A possible small henge on Cefn Bryn, Gower, near Arthur's Stone. It is enclosed by a ditch (under the 1m long scale pole in the picture to the left) which lies inside a slight bank. The remains of a mound (behind the scale pole in the picture below left) can be seen inside the henge in the second photograph, but as the site has never been excavated, it is not clear what its relationship is to the rest of the monument. Both photographs show the splendid views northwards from the monument: there are equally good views in the other directions