Eliseg’s Pillar is the broken shaft of a 9th century inscribed stone that was probably originally topped with a cross. It gives the valley and nearby Valle Crucis Abbey their names. The stone was erected by Cyngen, prince of Powys, in memory of his great-grandfather, Eliseg. Illegible now, Eliseg’s Pillar once documented the family tree of the kings of Powys back to the Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus (Macsen Wledig) and proclaimed Cyngen’s right to rule. It stands on a Bronze Age mound, further emphasising the ancient roots of the king’s power.
It is just north of Llangollen, on the A542, near the Abbey. There is no convenient place to park to view Eliseg’s Pillar. There is a hotel more or less opposite – it might be possible to borrow a space in their car park and walk back. Beware of the road, though, it is busy and there is no path.