BURIAL CHAMBER (Fig. 50) near Cromlech, and 600 yds. S. of the village of Four Crosses; at 200 ft. above O.D. on the edge of a broad ridge overlooking the valley of the Afon Erch to the E. The monument now consists of a rectangular chamber 4 ft. 6 ins. from N. to S. by 2 ft. 9 ins., its N. and W. sides formed by two large orthostats 5 ft. high, and its S. side by a large slab on edge, 10 ft. long and 4 ft. 6 ins. high. The E. side probably formed the entrance and is partly closed by a stone 3 ft. 6 ins. high, not a supporter. The pentagonal capstone measures approximately 8 ft. 6 ins. N .-S. by 6 ft. 6 ins., and has a maximum thickness of 2 ft. There is now no sign of an original mound, though the dumping of stones from field clearance has produced a slight rise in the ground level in the vicinity of the chamber, but a mound about 20 yds. in diameter and 1 to 2 ft. high was observed in 1938.¹

The present condition of the tomb represents a reconstruction carried out in 1936, and probably reproduces the original  form of the chamber fairly accurately. In 1869 the W. supporter was prostrate and the capstone lay partly against it and partly on the ground to the W. By 1900, if not indeed by 1871, the S. supporter had also fallen, and the E. stone was leaning outwards. In 1936 the N. supporter was left untouched, the E. stone was straightened, the W. and S. supporters re-erected, and the capstone replaced on top of the
chamber. A search was made for pottery or bones but nothing
was found.

It is possible that the cromlech had an approach of some kind. Farrington in 1772 mentioned ‘to the north some remains of erected stones visible’,² and in 1877 attention was drawn to ‘the curious avenue of stones, 138 feet in length by 16 feet in average width, by which it is approached, and some of which appear to have formed at one time smaller cromlechs of their own’.³ There is no sign of these structures at the present day, unless the former reference is to the two standing stones, Nos. 1514 (i) and (ii).
Arch. Camb., 1937, pp. 165-7.

Condition: good; rebuilt and protected by iron railing.
SH 39913849                        18 vii 57                                   33 S.W.