Stonehenge mystery ‘solved’
AGEOLOGICAL researcher believes he has solved one of the mysteries of Stonehenge – and identified the origin of one of its ancient stones as originating from Wales.
Last week there was much excitement when the original location of the Sarsens of Stonehenge was identified as being from the West Woods, an area 15 miles north of the Wiltshire site, near Marlborough.
It’s already known that the smaller bluestones at Stonehenge came from the Preseli Mountains in Pembrokeshire, however the origin of another prominent stone at the historic site – the Altar Stone has yet to be identified.
Ben Hughes, a researcher from Wales, believes he has solved the mystery and that this stone, which lies within the rock circle, originates from Ysgyryd Fawr in Abergavenny, part of the Black Mountains.
Mr Hughes explained that his research has been backed up by prominent experts in the field, who agree with his hypothesis that the stone originates from southeast Wales.
After the identification of the origins of the bluestones and sarsens, the Altar Stone is the only uncovered stone left to have its origin deciphered.
Mr Hughes’ fascination with Ysgyryd Fawr – also known as the Skirrid - near to his home in Abergavenny, which has a number of mythical stories attached to it, led to his discovery.
“After researching, for some years, the historical significance of the mountain I learned in March 2019 that it was on a possible route that the people took in transporting the first stones to Stonehenge from south-west Wales,” he said yesterday. Using that information he had a very modern way to test his theory that the Neolithic people who transported the stones would have taken a route near to his home.
“I selected the ‘walking’ button in Google maps from Preseli Hills to Gloucester which illustrates this possibility,” he said.
According to Mr Hughes, Ysgyryd Fawr is also the midway point between the Preseli Mountains
and Stonehenge, while the fables attached to the mountain would add to the attraction of the neolithic people who transported the stones to Stonehenge.
“There is a rich mythology attached to the mountain, including a distinctive stone known as the Devil’s Table,” he said.
“There was also a local tradition that earth from the Skirrid was holy and especially fertile, and was taken away to be scattered on fields elsewhere, on coffins, and in the foundations of churches.
“New insights of academics and experts regarding possible route of transportation of the Preseli bluestones, by land, suggest that this mountain might well have been on their route to the henge,” he added.
“Were these people in the Neolithic to have travelled via a ford of the River Severn near Gloucester then this mountain also happens to be very close to halfway on their route between the confirmed sources of the west Wales bluestones and Stonehenge.”
Also adding weight to the argument was the fact that Ysgyryd Fawr features the same rock type as that of the Altar Stone.
The rock type in question – Old Red Sandstone – is only present in south-east Wales, which gave Mr Hughes the confidence he was on the right lines.
“For all that we currently understand of Stonehenge, the Altar Stone is something of an ‘elephant in the room’,” he said.
“It’s a stone of immense importance to the people who conveyed it to the henge and subsequently to many generations who went there to experience it, and yet it’s an enigma that seems largely overlooked by commentators.
“It is a central stone of unique rock type within the monument and was a focal point within the central area of Stonehenge in its completed phase.
“Both the Altar Stone and the top of Ysgyryd Fawr are composed of Senni formation Old Red Sandstone.”
Recent research has backed Mr Hughes’ theory with geology experts agreeing that the only area the Altar Stone can originate from is within the region of the Black Mountains between Crickhowell and Abergavenny.
Now he believes it’s only a matter of time before definitive confirmation of its exact origin will be known.
“I had a meeting with a senior lecturer in archaeology at Cardiff University and mine is the only amateur research he has followed up,” said Mr Hughes.
“People who have published books on Stonehenge also think its a fascinating theory and say that I’m on to something.”
■ Find out more about Ben’s detective work at www.altarstonetheory. co.uk