Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber

Bryn Celli Ddu (‘the mound in the dark grove’) is a prehistoric site that was archaeologically excavated between 1928 and 1929 (though it was discovered much earlier). In addition to being one of the finest stone age monuments in the UK, there are also several unanswered questions about the site – from the presence of a single pillar within the burial chamber, the ‘pattern stone’ (now replaced by a reproduction) carved with serpentine designs, and the fact that the site began as a henge – including a stone circle – which may have been used to plot the date of the summer solstice.

The finest passage tomb in Wales, both the passage tomb and burial chamber are complete, and it’s still mostly buried under a mound or ‘cairn’, having been recovered following its initial excavation. The passage is just over eight metres long, of which the first metre is uncovered, with a pair of portal stones at the entrance. The walls of the passage tomb are made from vertical rock slabs, with a series of stone lintels supporting the roof (though some of these have now been replaced by concrete supports).

Not only is this an area of incredible historic importance, it is also charged with the presence of history – and visitors can feel the wight of time as they explore the site.

Accessible year round
The site, though rural, is open year round – though it tends to be busier around the Summer Solstice.