Trellech - Stones, Tumps and cures peculiar to women

May 25th 2013
Having spent the night in Caerphilly, we are on our way to Devon today. But not without a stop off at Trelech in Monmouthshire. It's another gloriously sunny day. The strong winds of yesterday have died away.It's a bit of a circuitous route to Monmouth, but we get there in good time. Trellech is situated a few miles outside Monmouth. It's a delightful little village and of course the home of Harold's Stones. Indeed, the name Trellech probably comes from these stones.
Parking at the village hall, the footpath crosses the road and goes through a meadow of Buttercup, White Deadnettle, Green Alkanet, Cuckoo Flower and Ragged Robin, before crossing the road and through the gate to the Harold's Stones.

Three large standing stones made of local pudding stone, encrusted with pebble and quartz..
They are aligned NE-SW and measure 2.7m 3.7m & 4.6m respectively. A fourth stone formerly stood in a nearby meadow, but was destroyed.

The local church of St Nicholas, is worth a visit. Inside is an old sundial, with carvings of Harold's Stones, The Terret's Tump and the Virtuous Well.
The afformentioned Virtuous Well, or St Anne's Well, is situated just down the Llandoget road.
A gate takes you through a pleasant meadow and to the structure containing the well. It is famous for curing eye ailments and "complaints peculiar to women"