Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber — Attraction in Anglesey

As Bryn Celli Ddu comes into view I’m amazed at how prominent it stands on the landscape and how it commands a view from the top of the surrounding landscape

I had been working in Llandudno for a few days and just before I left I had time to visit this amazing burial chamber. If you get the chance, make sure you take it. Stone lovers will not be disappointed.

Bryn Celli Ddu Burial Chamber is situated just over the bridge into Anglesey. It’s about 30 min drive from Llandudno beachfront. The history can be found on the signs and the reconstruction after excavation was 1929 and it has been preserved ever since. Unlike west Kennet it has had a hole created for light (instead of that weird glass block @WK). It has had one of the stones removed and placed in a museum in Cardiff with a replacement made of concrete. The capstone is huge slab of stone and has three or four huge standing stones at the entrance and the opposite end of chamber.

The weather was moody but dry, the temperature was 12°C and it was 10am in the morning. There is a car park and a short walk to the signposted chamber. The approach was quiet even with the fairly substantial breeze as the pathway was between hedges. As you follow the river up to the site the mind fills with images and thoughts about our ancestors walking along the same river bank with their ritual and ceremony about to start. As Bryn Celli Ddu comes into view I’m amazed at how prominent it stands on the landscape and how it commands a view from the top of the surrounding landscape. There is a rocky crag in the adjacent field, and casts a presence all of its own.

Walk around the circle, breathe the air, take in the silence and the feel of the stones. Walk inside and crouch through the creep into the chamber.

Inside, solitary, senses, feeling and total silence, the tomb of...

Bryn Celli Ddu is an iconic Neolithic tomb located near Llanfairpwllgwyngyll on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales. Let me share some fascinating details about this ancient burial chamber:

Name and Meaning: The name “Bryn Celli Ddu” translates to “Mound of the Dark Grove” in English.

Dual Sites: This remarkable site actually comprises two interconnected features:

Henge: During the early Neolithic period (New Stone Age), a circular henge with a bank and ditch was constructed here. The henge enclosed a circle of standing stones.

Chambered Tomb: Later, a chambered tomb was built beneath a mound that measures up to 85 feet (26 meters) in diameter. The tomb’s entrance is through a long, narrow passage that leads to an octagonal chamber, approximately 8 feet (2.4 meters) across. Within this chamber, archaeologists have discovered artifacts such as human bones, arrowheads, and carved stones.

Summer Solstice Phenomenon: Bryn Celli Ddu’s most extraordinary feature can be witnessed only once a year. During the summer solstice (the longest day of the year), as the sun rises, shafts of light penetrate directly down the tomb’s passageway, illuminating the inner chamber. This celestial alignment is a captivating sight for visitors.

Access and Location: The site is accessible via a gravelled path and is wheelchair-friendly. It’s nestled on the outskirts of the small village of Llandaniel Fab.

If you’re intrigued by ancient history and celestial secrets, a visit to Bryn Celli Ddu is...

There really isn't much to do here ... however, I can't justify giving a well-presented historic site a bad score. It's not here to perform, and it isn't it's job to impress. The site was super easy to find, and clearly marked, with parking available nearby. Walking to the site takes about 5-10 minutes, following a lovely path set along the fenceline of neighbouring farm. It was well-tended, wide, and easy to manage.

The site itself is rather small, occupying a fenced off portion of working farmland. However, it's quite exquisite. Information plaques provide pretty much everything you'd want to know about the site. While much of it is a recreation, with the most valuable pieces of carved stone being safely presented in museums, as much as possible has been rebuilt and reinforced from original materials.

A stunning example of the early human history of the UK. Perhaps not something I'd go out of my way for, if I wasn't a nut for such things ... but definitely worth seeing.

Worth noting: Google maps is notoriously bad at navigating to this site. Tag the car park, instead ... otherwise it will take you to a dirt track and a barn next to somebody's house on the other side of the field...