Tomen Sgidia Cofnod GAT

Mae mwy o waith ymchwil wedi mynd ymlaen ar y Domen Sgidia ger Ffridd y Bwlch. Bydd mwy yn yr Herald Gymraeg 11 Ionawr 2012. Dyma fanylion sydd gan Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Gwynedd (GAT) ar hyn o bryd :

A mound of slate waste covered to an unknown depth with the (?burnt) remains of thousands of hobnail boots, heel plates, nails, eyelets etc. Dimensions 40 x 30 x 2.5m. <1>

A low mound about 35m in diameter lies to the east of the A470 (Plate 66).  Its earliest phase consists of slate waste from a shallow linear working shown on the 1889 OS 25 map.  This is almost entirely covered by a dump of waste boots.  The upper layer consists entirely of heel plates, eyelets, nails, screws, sole shanks and occasional sole plates (Plate 67).  Beneath this is a thick layer of ash, also containing metal fittings.  Until quite recently there was a grave slab with a pair of boots incised on it along with the inscription Esgidiau Meirw (dead shoes).  The stone now lies on the wall of PRN 14777 (Plate 68).  It was probably moved by the land-owner for safe keeping after being daubed with paint.

The dump is known locally as Tomen Sgidiau (boot dump) and dates from World Wall II.  The boots are rejects from a factory that was set up in Blaenau Market Hall to recycle old boots and shoes for the army.