About a mile from Holyhead, on the way to Trefigneth cromlechi, on the right hand, in a field called Cae’r Garreg (stone field), stands a memorial stone, 8 feet long, and 10 feet in circumference at the base, tapering to about 5 feet. On leaving this stone, and just before you reach Trefigneth, opposite a cow-shed, under the left-hand wall, a cist faen, or stone coffin, was found some time ago, containing a human skeleton. About half a mile further, near Trefarthur (the abode of Arthur), in a field on the right hand, called Caynyodd, are two stones, one erect, about 5 feet in length, and 13 in circumference, and the other, reposing on the ground, nearly 8 feet long.
About a mile and a half to the west of Holyhead, at Plas farm, in the occupation of O. Owen, Esq., are two large stones. The western one is 10 feet long, 6½ feet in circumference, tapering to about 4 feet. The northern stone is 10 feet long, 6½ feet in circumference, tapering to about 5 feet.
BOUNDARY STONES.
The use of stones erect, for marking boundaries, must be very ancient; perhaps, indeed, this was one of the earliest purposes to which such rude monuments were applied. An interesting notice of this custom is given in the “Iliad,” where Homer, speaking of the great stone thrown by Minerva at Mars, says, as King renders the passage, that “she retreating, seized in her strong hand a stone lying in the field—black, rough, and vast—which men in former times had placed as a boundary of cultivated land.” How long and how effectually this custom existed, Olaus Magnaus, archbishop of Upsal and metropolitan of Sweden, speaking of his own parts, about the middle of the seventeenth century, bears testimony with justifiable pride:—“There are also high stones, by the aspect and signature whereof the ancient possessions of provinces, governments, forts, communities of noble and country men, are suffered to continue to every man in peace, without laws, suits, or arbitration, giving an example to other nations, that among these nations there is more right to be found in these stones that are boundaries than elsewhere in the large volumes of laws, where men think themselves to be more learned and civil.”
Stringent laws were given by Moses to the Jewish nation in reference to these boundary marks. “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour’s landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance.” (Deut. xix. 14.) “Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.” (Prov. xxii. 28.) Job complained that some in his day removed the landmarks (chap, xxiv. ver. 2). Every one will remember the fearful denunciation in the book of Deuteronomy,—“Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen,” (chap, xxvii. ver. 17). In Hosea we have the following strong language, which shews in what light Jehovah viewed this sin:—“The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore will I pour out my wrath upon them like water,” (chap. v. ver. 10).
The “maen terfyn,” i.e., the boundary stone of the Ancient Britons, is considered to be very common in this Island, the removal of which was punishable with death. Maen terfyn was not to be removed, according to the laws of Dyvnwal Moelmud, under pain of death:—“There are three stones, which if any man remove, he shall be indicted as a thief: the boundary stone; maen gwyn (sacred stone), of the convention, and the guide stone; and he that destroys them shall forfeit his life (or be guilty of capital offence).” In reference to this stone another triad remarks:—“It is ordered and established, for the purpose of preventing the uncertainty of a claim, that the Bards shall keep an orderly record of pedigrees, nobility, and inheritances. For the same purpose also is the memorial of the back-fire stones, the maen terfyn (boundary stone), and the horse-block, that he that removes them offers an insult to the Court and the Judges.” These passages will forcibly remind our readers of the penalty in the law of Moses above quoted. Whenever we hear of ancestral domains terminating here and there at some particular stones of notoriety, as is frequently the case, we may fairly presume that such stones are some of the old meini terfyn (boundary stones) of the Welsh laws.
On the right hand of the road, in a corner of the field before you reach Plas farm, is a stone measuring 4 feet high, by 5 wide, and about 12 feet in circumference. I consider this stone a perfect relic of what our ancestors denominated maen terfyn, or the boundary stone.
And now, courteous reader, farewell! may you enjoy your visit to this interesting locality: but it is high time that the writer of these pages fixed his boundary mark.—Finis.
ERRATUM.
Omitted in the list of Agents, page [15],—Chester and Holyhead Steam Packet Office.—Superintendent—Capt. Hirst. [71]