A Pembrokeshire based Oxford University academic believes that he has discovered the original Golden Road, a road used by the Romans to transport gold from Wales across the Irish sea and before that to transport the Preseli bluestones to Stonehenge.
A Golden Road by name has long existed across the top of the Preseli Hills. However, Dr Mark Merrony, who lives near Narberth, believes that this is a more modern construct.
In April and May this year his research took him to the foothills of the Preselis where at the end of a fruitless day’s exploring, he discovered a ‘sunken lane’.
“Rather despondently, it was time to head home for the day, taking the footpath down the west side of Carn Bica and Carn Sîan when I suddenly noticed what appeared to be a kind of canal,” he said.
“In fact, I quickly realised that it was a sunken lane (or hollow way) taking a general east-west direction.”
Following days of exploration, during which he followed the road for miles, Dr Merrony came to the conclusion that this could be the real Golden Road, created by the Romans for military and economic transport and based on the footprint of a much older road, which could date back to prehistoric times.
Dr Merrony says the idea that the road was built on the footprint of an earlier one is raises the question of whether it was used to transport bluestones to Stonehenge.
This Golden Road could have been a link in a route from Carmarthen to Whitesands, to access a route across the Irish Sea.
In earlier research Dr Merrony looked at the Welsh name for Whitesands, Porth Mawr- Large Port; St Davids is the closest point with Ireland south of Anglesey and could have been used as a port for crossings across the Irish Sea.
He has discovered evidence that the road, which is up to five metres wide in some places, was once paved and believes that the stones for this may have been ‘quarried’ from ancient standing stones.
The road runs straight and follows the contours of the hills, characteristic of a Roman military road.
Writing in this month’s edition on Antiqvvs magazine Dr Merrony says that this road is likely to be the mis-named Flemish Way, which was referred to by early historians but predates the arrival of the Flemish in the county.
“Is it ancient? It certainly seems to precede the arrival of the Flemings in the early twelfth century,” he said.
“From the account of Fenton [an 18th century antiquarian] and physical evidence on the ground, the indications are that, from the Preselis, the road leads west and then south to St Davids.
“If it is originally prehistoric then this would of course mean that it may be the original Golden Road.
“This raises the tantalising question of whether the bluestones were transported eastwards along its course.”
Dr Merrony hopes that further survey work and a planned laser survey of the Preselis by the national park will reveal more about the ‘extraordinary’ route.
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