Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Gesail Gyfarch Inscribed Stone
Dolbenmaen, Gwynedd, Wales
A scheduled monument in Dolbenmaen, Gwynedd, recorded as Inscribed Stone (Early Medieval).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Inscribed Stone
- Period
- Early Medieval
- Community
- Dolbenmaen
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 52.95284, -4.17455
- SAM number
- CN019
- Cadw record number
- 296
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1896 · Sheet 7. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1899 · 119 Snowdon (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.
The monument consists of a stone with an early-medieval inscription on the front. The stone is now 1.7m long, 0.35m down to 0.23m wide and about 0.15m thick, a piece has broken off the top and the left side has been trimmed, probably in the 19th century.
The writing is faint but legible and is confined to what would have been the upper part of the stone when it stood upright. The inscription, in three lines reading vertically down from the top is "FILI CVNALPI / CVNACI IACIT / BECCVRI" and translates as (The stone of) Cunalipus son / Cunacus. He lies here / of Beccurus. There is some doubt about the translation and what can be seen on the stone may be the remains of two independent inscriptions, but its character suggests that it dates to the 6th century.
Since the 1960s the stone has been lying in a protective shelter in the garden of Gesail Gyfarch.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the organisation and practice of religion and commemoration in the medieval period.
The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.
Nearby in the register
- Hut Circles near Craig y GesailUnenclosed hut circleunder 1 mi
- Hut Group West of Cwm MawrHut Circle Settlementunder 1 mi
- ClenennauDomesticunder 1 mi
- Outfield yard group at ClenennauAgriculture and Subsistenceunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.