Carreg Coetan Arthur — Local services in Wales

This ancient structure is tucked away next to some bungalows in the small, but popular, tourist town of Newport

Cadw mention that name ‘coetan’ refers to the game of quoits, similar to game of ring toss. According to popular legend, King Arthur himself played the game against the devil, and that each time a quoit landed, it turned to stone.

Despite it's initial appearance, a close up look shows that only two of the upright stones actually support the capstone.

Excavations at Carreg Coetan Arthur took place in 1979 and 1980... "Four principal areas of cremation deposits were identified through the excavations. Two of these were outside the chamber, one of which was found beneath an inverted pot, with charcoal that dates the deposit to around 3620-3020 BC. The other found to the south-west of the chamber provided dates of 3090-2900 BC. And Finally, cremated bone was also found in disturbed contexts within the chamber itself."

You can find out more about this site by watching the video over on our YouTube...

An iteresting Neolithic chambered tomb. Its position, a stones-throw from the foreshore at Newport, must have been intended to be seen from the water. The capstone is currently precariously balanced on two of the four stones, though other stones lie scattered in the grass nearby. Set in a small hedged area off a quiet side road, this wonderful tomb is only a few hundred yards from the bustling town centre but maintains its peaceful...

Carreg Coetan Arthur dates from around 3000 BC and is the remains of a Neolithic burial chamber (also known as a quoit). The remains consist of a 4-metre-long capstone on smaller supporting rocks. It would have originally been earth covered, but this has eroded away. The site is managed by Cadw and it is a scheduled ancient monument. Easily accessible, right by the side of a house,...