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Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales

by Jonathan Ceredig Davies

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Crug Mawr

The Rev. Peter Roberts, in his “Cambrian Popular Antiquities,” says that Crug Mawr, or Pentychryd Mawr, is a lofty hill in Cardiganshire, situated in the Vale of Aeron, mentioned in Giraldus, where he says, “there is an open grave, which fits the length of any man lying in it, short or long.” Hence arose the ancient tradition, that a powerful giant, kept his post on this hill, and was endowed with the genius of the Aeron Vale. He had a lofty palace erected on the hill, and used occasionally to invite the neighbouring giants to a trial of strength on the top of it. At one of these meetings coits were proposed and introduced, and, after great efforts, the inhabitant of the spot won the day, by throwing his coit clear into the Irish shore, which ever after gave him the superiority over all other giants in Ceredigion, or the land of Ceredig.

Gwynionydd in the First Volume of the “Brython,” 1859, mentions two places known as “Crug Mawr,” one near Cardigan, and the other in the Vale of Aeron.

Near the road leading from Newcastle Emlyn to Lampeter, is “Crug Balog,” where a warrior or giant of the name of Balog was buried.

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