Barclodiad y Gawres

Barclodiad y Gawres is a Neolithic burial chamber on the south-western coast of Anglesey. It stands between Rhosneigr and Aberffraw on the edge of Porth Trecastell. The site is a cruciform passage grave, a type of tomb found in several places around the Irish Sea. Its name means ‘The Giantess’s Apronful’ in Welsh. The chamber has decorated stones, some with spirals, zig-zags, lozenges and chevrons. A later carving was found in 2001, showing the site’s long history of use. Excavations in 1952–53 revealed two cremated young male burials in the south-western side-chamber. In the main chamber archaeologists found a fire site covered with a stew made from wrasse, eel, frog, toad, grass snake, mouse, shrew and hare. The stew was sealed under limpet shells and pebbles. Five carved stones were recovered during the dig, adding to the site’s significance. The finds suggest rituals connected with the dead and the living. Visitors reach the chamber along the Anglesey Coastal Path near Porth Trecastell. The turf-covered concrete roof restores the original look of the tomb. The carvings on the stones remain clear despite their age. The setting overlooks the sea, linking the site to similar graves across the water. Cadw, Wales’s heritage body, maintains the chamber today.