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Thursday, October 17, 2013

Snowdonia National Park


Snowdonia National Park was established on 18th October 1951
It covers 827 square miles in area and may be divided into four areas:...
1) The northernmost area is the most popular with tourists, and includes (from west to east) Moel Hebog, Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge; the Snowdon Massif; the Glyderau; and the Carneddau. These last three groups include all Wales' 3000-foot mountains.
2) The second area includes the mountains around Blaenau Festiniog.
3) The third area includes the Rhinogydd in the west as well as the Arenig and the Migneint (an area of bog). This area is not as popular with tourists as the other areas, due to its remoteness.
4) The southernmost area includes Cadair Idris, the Tarren range, the Dyfi hills, and the Aran group,
* The Park attracts over 6 million visitors annually
* The Welsh name for the area Eryri, probably derives from eryr ("eagle"),
* In the Middle Ages the title Prince of Wales and Lord of Snowdonia (Tywysog Cymru ac Arglwydd Eryri) was used by Llywelyn ap Gruffydd; his grandfather llywelyn Fawr used the title Prince of North Wales and Lord of Snowdonia.
* Unusually, Snowdonia National Park has a hole in the middle, around the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog. This was deliberately excluded from the Park in order to allow the development of new light industry to replace the decimated slate industry.
* The Park's entire 37 miles of coastline is a Special Area of Conservation, as it contains valuable sand dune systems.
* Northern Snowdonia is the only place in Britain where the Snowdon Lily and the rainbow-coloured Snowdon beetle are found, and the only place in the world where the Snowdonia hawkweed grows.
* Rare mammals in the park include otters, polecats and the feral goat.
* Rare birds include raven, peregrine, osprey, merlin and the red kite.
* Crib Goch is the wettest spot in the United Kingdom, with an average rainfall of 176" a year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SnowdoniaSee more

Pillar of Eliseg

 

 

  1. The Archaeological Background of the Pillar of Eliseg
    Edward Lhuyd noted that the monument was ‘erected on a small mount’(Gunther 1945: 307) and Pennant records that the base was still lying on the top of this (Pennant 1778-83). It is there...fore likely that this was its original location. The height of the mound, a barrow, would have given additional prominence to the monument in the landscape. This may be compared with the cross Llanfynydd 1 (Carmarthenshire), which originally stood on a cairn of stones (Edwards 2007, no CM24). Fifth- to early-seventh-century inscribed stones in Wales were also sometimes erected on top of, or beside, prehistoric barrows or cairns (Edwards 2007, no. CD28; Redknap and Lewis 2007, nos B46–47, G7, G27, G77; Knight 2001, 14). The monument is not associated with any known early medieval ecclesiastical site, though the alternative Welsh name associated with the abbey, Llanegwestl, hints at the existence of an earlier foundation (Evans 2008, 3). It should be noted, however, that at least some Cistercian houses in Wales, notably Margam (Bridgend) and its granges, were on the sites of early medieval ecclesiastical foundations indicated by the presence of early medieval sculpture (Redknap and Lewis 2007, 576–7; see also Strata Florida and LlanllÅ·r, Ceredigion, Edwards 2007a, nos CD1, CD20). Even if there was no earlier ecclesiastical site, the presence of the monument may well have been influential in the choice of location for the later Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis.
    http://www.projecteliseg.org/?page_id=13See more

    Photo: The Archaeological Background of the Pillar of Eliseg<br />Edward Lhuyd noted that the monument was ‘erected on a small mount’(Gunther 1945: 307) and Pennant records that the base was still lying on the top of this (Pennant 1778-83). It is therefore likely that this was its original location. The height of the mound, a barrow, would have given additional prominence to the monument in the landscape. This may be compared with the cross Llanfynydd 1 (Carmarthenshire), which originally stood on a cairn of stones (Edwards 2007, no CM24). Fifth- to early-seventh-century inscribed stones in Wales were also sometimes erected on top of, or beside, prehistoric barrows or cairns (Edwards 2007, no. CD28; Redknap and Lewis 2007, nos B46–47, G7, G27, G77; Knight 2001, 14). The monument is not associated with any known early medieval ecclesiastical site, though the alternative Welsh name associated with the abbey, Llanegwestl, hints at the existence of an earlier foundation (Evans 2008, 3). It should be noted, however, that at least some Cistercian houses in Wales, notably Margam (Bridgend) and its granges, were on the sites of early medieval ecclesiastical foundations indicated by the presence of early medieval sculpture (Redknap and Lewis 2007, 576–7; see also Strata Florida and LlanllÅ·r, Ceredigion, Edwards 2007a, nos CD1, CD20). Even if there was no earlier ecclesiastical site, the presence of the monument may well have been influential in the choice of location for the later Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis.<br />http://www.projecteliseg.org/?page_id=13