Ysgyryd Fawr
| Ysgyryd Fawr | |
|---|---|
 Ysgyryd Fawr from the north | |
| Elevation | 486 m (1,594 ft) |
| Prominence | 344 m (1,129 ft) |
| Parent peak | Sugar Loaf |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Translation | Great shattered [hill] (Welsh) |
| Pronunciation | Welsh: [ɐsˈɡɐɾɪd ˈvæuɾ] |
| Location | |
| Location | Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Range | Black Mountains |
| OS grid | SO331182 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 161 |
Ysgyryd Fawr is an easterly outlier of the Black Mountains in Wales, and forms the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The name is often anglicised to The Skirrid or Skirrid Fawr, and the mountain is also known as Holy Mountain or Sacred Hill. The spelling Skyrrid is also encountered in older literature. The lower hill of Ysgyryd Fach or 'Little Skirrid' (270m) lies about 4.5 km / 2.5 mi to the south.
It is 486 m high and lies just outside Abergavenny , Monmouthshire, about 10 miles from the English border. The Beacons Way passes along the ridge .[1]
Geology
The distinctive shape of this Old Red Sandstone hill comprises a long ridge oriented nearly north–south, with a jagged western side resulting from ice age landslips .[2] The upper slopes of the hill are composed of Devonian age sandstones assigned to the Senni Formation (formerly known as the 'Senni Beds'). These overlie weaker mudstones of the St Maughans Formation - a situation which has contributed to the instability of the hill's steep flanks.[3]
Cultural associations
Ysgyryd is a word describing the hill's shape, signifying that which has shivered or been shattered . There is a rich mythology attached to the mountain ,[4][5] including a distinctive stone known as the Devil's Table. According to legend, part of the mountain is said to have been broken off at the moment of the crucifixion of Jesus. There was a local tradition that earth from the Skirrid was holy and especially fertile, and it was taken away to be scattered on fields elsewhere, on coffins, and in the foundations of churches.[6] Pilgrimages were made, especially on Michaelmas Eve, to the summit.
History
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The ruins of an iron–age hill fort and a mediæval Roman Catholic church, dedicated to St. Michael, lie at the summit. Rudolf Hess used to walk here when he was held prisoner at nearby Maindiff Court during the early 1940s. [4] This mountain site "..a stark barren monolith.." is also mentioned in the recent book by Pete "Snapper" Winner, Soldier 'I' - The Story of an SAS Hero[7] as part of Sickener 2, his Selection for the SAS.
Ownership and access
Ysgyryd Fawr has belonged to the National Trust since 1939. The summit offers views is easily accessed on foot from the car park beside the B4521 Ross Road shown on the Ordnance Survey maps. The ascent is steep initially but gradual thereafter; allow two hours for the completion and return. A rough path follows the perimeter of the hill at a lower level.
References
- ↑ "Beacons Way". Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.
- ↑ Keith Rapado (9 July 2003). "The Skirrid (Ysgyryd Fawr) Holy Mountain".
- ↑ British Geological Survey: memoir to Abergavenny geological map sheet 232
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Llanddewi Skirrid. "Facts and Fiction of Skirrid Fawr". Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
- ↑ Rhiannon (8 March 2005). "Ysgyryd Fawr". The Modern Antiquarian.
- ↑ Roy Palmer, The Folklore of (old) Monmouthshire, 1998, ISBN 1-873827-40-7
- ↑ ISBN 978-1-84603; pp 39
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Skirrid. |
Coordinates: 51°51′30″N 2°58′15″W / 51.858386°N 2.970816°W