At a glance
Barclodiad y Gawres is a 5,000-year-old Neolithic passage tomb on the Anglesey coast near Rhosneigr (LL64 5TT), notable for its rare carved stones — one of only two decorated passage tombs in Wales. Free Cadw site; key for interior access from nearby property (check Cadw website). Bring a torch to see the spiral carvings.
About Barclodiad y Gawres
Barclodiad y Gawres stands on a clifftop headland above Porth Trecastell — Cable Bay — on the south-west coast of Anglesey, overlooking the Irish Sea. The tomb was built by Neolithic farming communities approximately 5,000 years ago, in a period when Anglesey was an important centre of a megalithic culture that connected the Atlantic coast from Ireland through Wales to Brittany and beyond. Its position — commanding the western sea approaches — was not accidental.
The tomb is a cruciform passage grave: a long stone-lined passage leads to a central chamber with three side chambers in a cross-shaped plan. The structure is covered by a substantial earth mound, reconstructed to protect the interior. What makes Barclodiad y Gawres exceptional among Welsh prehistoric sites are the five decorated standing stones within the passage and chamber — carved with abstract zigzag, chevron, spiral and lozenge patterns that connect it directly to the great Neolithic passage tombs of Ireland's Boyne Valley.
Excavation in 1952–53 revealed the extraordinary ritual deposit in the central chamber: cremated human bones mixed with a stew of animal remains — fragments of snake, toad, frog, mouse, hare, fish, natterjack, and various shells — apparently cooked and deposited during the closing of the tomb. This deposit, unlike anything else found in a Welsh megalithic monument, speaks to a rich and complex funeral ritual that archaeologists are still interpreting.
Visiting tips
Getting there
Park at Porth Trecastell (Cable Bay) beach car park (LL64 5TT) on the coast road between Aberffraw and Rhosneigr. A short coastal path leads north to the tomb headland — approximately 10 minutes' walk.
Entering the tomb
Check the Cadw website for current key arrangements before visiting — the key is needed to access the interior. Bring a torch (phone torch is sufficient). The carved stones are in the inner chamber and visible only with a light source.
Combine with nearby sites
Barclodiad y Gawres is most rewarding as part of an Anglesey prehistoric tour: Bryn Celli Ddu (12 miles east) and Trefignath (Holy Island, 12 miles north-west) are the other principal megalithic sites. The coastal walk from Porth Trecastell southward to Aberffraw Bay is also excellent.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
"Apronful of the Giantess" in Welsh. Local legend tells of a giantess who carried stones in her apron to build the tomb — a common folk explanation for megalithic structures whose true construction required many people working over generations. The site dates from approximately 3000 BCE, the Neolithic period.
Barclodiad y Gawres is one of only two chambered tombs in Wales to contain decorated stones — the other being Bryn Celli Ddu, also on <span lang="cy">Anglesey</span>. Five of the stones in the passage and chamber are decorated with spiral, zigzag and chevron carvings in a style similar to the great Irish passage tombs of the Boyne Valley (Newgrange, Knowth). This Irish connection suggests strong cultural ties across the Irish Sea in the Neolithic period.
Excavations in 1952–53 found cremated human bones in the chambers, along with a remarkable "stew" of animal remains — snake, toad, frog, mouse, hare, fish, limpet and other species — mixed with herbs and burnt in the central chamber. This is interpreted as a ritual deposit, possibly a funeral feast or ceremonial offering. The combination of human remains and this unusual animal mixture makes Barclodiad y Gawres one of the most intriguing prehistoric ritual sites in Britain.
The tomb is managed by Cadw and can be entered via a key available from a nearby property — check the Cadw website for current key arrangements before visiting. The site is accessible at all times from the outside. The interior passage is low and requires crouching. A torch is essential for viewing the decorated stones in the inner chamber.
Anglesey has a remarkable concentration of Neolithic and Bronze Age sites — it is sometimes called the "island of druids" for this reason. <span lang="cy">Bryn Celli Ddu</span> (12 miles east) is the most famous, but the island also has Trefignath (Holy Island), Penrhos Feilw standing stones, Din Lligwy settlement and numerous standing stones and cairns. A prehistoric tour of Anglesey is one of the most interesting days in North Wales.