Bodowyr Burial Chamber

Bodowyr Burial Chamber stands in a farmer’s field on the Isle of Anglesey in north Wales. It is a Neolithic tomb made of a few large stones arranged as a dolmen. The site lies 2.0 kilometres east of Llangaffo, off the B4419 road. Early in the 18th century the antiquarian Henry Rowland called it a ‘pretty cromlech’ at the top of a small hill. He also noted a small circular feature nearby and remains of a cairn that have since vanished. The capstone now rests on three upright stones about a metre high. The chamber belongs to a type of passage grave more often found in Ireland. A fourth upright stone has fallen since 1833, leaving the capstone supported by three. A flat stone on the western side may once have been part of the structure. Another low stone near the entrance could have been a kerb or sill. Originally the tomb was covered by a mound of earth or rubble with a passage leading in from the south-east. The mound has long since disappeared. From the site Snowdon and the Glyderau mountains are visible across the Llanberis Pass. Visitors walk 100 metres across a field to reach the chamber. The ground is level and the reason for choosing this spot is not clear. The distant views of the mountains may have mattered to the builders. The chamber itself is a simple arrangement of stones with no trace of the mound or passage left. The setting is quiet, with open farmland around it.