Derwen Adwy'r Meirwon
The Oak at the Gate of The Dead
Quest
Stand under the oak facing North. Be completely silent. You will notice the temperature drop. Do not stay longer than ten minutes in the immediate area of the oak.
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Information
An oak estimated at over a thousand years old, standing at the site of the Battle of Crogen (1165), where Owain Gwynedd's forces drove Henry II and his English army into retreat. The tree was already ancient when the battle's dead were buried in the ditch of the dyke beside it.
The ground here has carried its names carefully. The pass was known as Adwy'r Beddau, the gap of the graves, and the surrounding land as Tir y Beddau. Some of those graves were still visible in 1697.
In February 2010, a blast of energy from below caused the tree to split in two.
The oak predates the battle by several centuries. If the age estimate holds, it was already old when Ecgberht of Wessex was king (802–839). It is, as has been noted, the only living witness to Crogen.
The temperature around the tree has been demonstrated to be physically colder than the surrounding area.
To find the 'Oak at the Gate of The Dead' take the Glyn Ceiriog road out of Chirk. After about a mile, you'll pass a Trout Fishery on the left; take the next turning on the left, which comes in about 1/4 mile. Drive up towards the bridge and park near the 'Battle of Crogen' sign.
Walk back downhill towards the main road; there's a small road opposite, with a footpath to the right, which goes through a small arch. Walk through the arch and you'll come across some Interpretive Boards; keep walking and you'll soon see the 'Oak at the Gate of the Dead, just to the right of the footpath. There is a crude and very overgrown footpath leading down to the oak. The tree itself, is split in two, but in Summer, boasts an impressive canopy of green.