On the road through The Wern, otherwise known rather more prosaically as the B5426 into Minera, and fixed (1) into a road facing wall is a curious - one might say mysterious stone head. Its origins are lost - completely unknown, which does of course lead to all sorts of speculative wondering.
Despite some weathering, some wear and tear, the head is wonderfully well defined. Eyes within heavy brows, a prominent nose and the ghost of a mouth. It has, rather incredibly, a hint of carved hair. It has the air of a quiet sentinel, a dispassionate guardian of the ancient.
A worn and weathered witness of an ancient past.
Must we try to date it? Should we even try? There are those that have claimed that the hair suggests a Roman origin. But it’s more likely medieval - a bit of discarded corbelling from a restored church or a laid low abbey, possibly from a medieval tomb. It’s probably of local origin, but who’s to know for sure? We can’t say for sure - we can’t say at all.
But still, all is good, all is fine. The Wern Stone Head survives and stares out upon the B5426, watching - always watching.
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Footnote
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1. A date of 1972 has been etched into the cement above the Head , presumably reflecting the date of its fixing into the wall of its current home.
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