09/03/2025
Friday Featured Site: Llangorse Crannog, Powys
St David’s Day may have passed, but we thought that it would be a good opportunity to showcase another of Wales' amazing archaeological sites - the Llangorse Crannog.
Nestled between the Central Beacons and the Black Mountains, Llangorse Lake (Llyn Syfaddan in Welsh) is the largest natural lake in Wales. Lying close to its northern shore is a small wooded-over island that was once occupied from the AD 890s, home to an early medieval royal site of the ruler of the inland kingdom of Brycheiniog.
Constructed with great skill and effort, the organised construction of the island, its careful design, and the supply of timber and stone all reinforce the idea of elite control of local resources and human labour. Among the artefacts from the site, strap-guides and strap-ends speak of horse-ownership, while the large quantity of deer bones hints at the aristocratic love of hunting.
One of the most astonishing finds from the site was a charred textile bundle, preserved in the waterlogged conditions. Painstaking conservation revealed embroidered linen and silk decorated with birds, lions, acanthus leaves, and vine-scrolls - designs that are more reminiscent of Byzantine and Classical art than traditional Insular motifs. Textile experts concluded that it had been a tunic, a diplomatic gift from the royal court of Wessex.
Today, the lake is a popular spot for fishing, wildlife-watching, sailing, and canoeing. Opened in 2004, the Welsh Crannog Centre can also be visited all year-round, providing visitors with a journey back into the early medieval period.
Find out more about the history of this fascinating site here: https://the-past.com/feature/the-palace-in-the-lake-a-royal-residence-on-llangorse-crannog/
📷 Amgueddfa Cymru - Museum Wales
