Trefigneth Burial Chamber, Anglesey, Holyhead, Holy Island, North-West Wales aka Gwynedd, British Isles [Map]

Trefigneth Burial Chamber, Anglesey [Map] is a Neolithic burial chamber near Trearddur, south of Holyhead on Holy Island, off Anglesey in Wales. In its most complete form it included a large cairn covering three stone tombs, set on a small knoll. It was excavated between 1977 and 1979, revealing several phases of occupation with three separate burial chambers built in succession.

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TREFIGNETH CROMLECHI

About a mile and a half from Holyhead, at Trefigneth (a house on the quagmire) farm, may be seen some relics of Druidical superstition, and remarkable monuments of the rude art of the Ancient Britons. They are what antiquarians call cromlechi. Two derivations have been given for the word cromlech: the one, "an inclining stone," from the British word crwm, bowed, and llech, a broad, flat stone; and the other, "a devoted stone or altar," from the Hebrew cœrœm-luach,—the first part expressing the appearance of the upper or principal stone of the cromlech; the second, the horrible use to which, there is good reason to believe, it was put. The stones referred to are called by the Welsh, at this time, Llechen Trevigneth, i.e., Trevigneth flat stones; and the field they are in, Cae'r Llechen, flat stone field.

The writer visited these cromlechs on the 18th of February, 1853, and, assisted by a friend, measured some of the huge, unshapely stones. The western cromlech consists of 5 stones, four of which were undoubtedly uprights, but have fallen from their proper situation, and the table stone, with its flat face, reposes upon them. This superincumbent stone measures 12 feet long, including the piece broken off at the eastern end—it is 6 feet wide, and in some parts about 2 feet in diameter. One of the four stones is 10 feet long, by 4 wide, and about 10 feet in circumference. At the western end of this cromlech are three stones, but for what purpose they were originally used, I wot not.

The eastern cromlech consists of 8 stones, two of which are standing; one perpendicularly, the other in an oblique position—following the example of its companions, which have long since bowed beneath the weight or pressure of centuries;—these are 6 feet long, one of which is about 10 feet in circumference, the other 8. There is one reposing longitudinally, measuring 10 feet long, and 6 feet in circumference. The other three are of smaller dimensions. There are two table or superincumbent stones, one of which measures 10 feet long, by 6 wide; the other, p. 656 feet long, by 5 wide. When first constructed, this cromlech would have admitted a tall man to stand upright in it.

When I first approached these ruins, I felt that I was treading the sacred ground of ancient Britons; a longing to comprehend their origin came over me—a yearning to make out the dark enigma that for ages had puzzled the learned and the wise. While walking round these ancient relics, I felt somewhat astonished and bewildered. Awe, amazement, and solemnity, were as a load on my spirit, pressing heavily. I wished to know, but I was ignorant; I wished to admire, but I was awestruck.

Ages seem present; shadowy, giant forms,

And fantasies that throng the heated brain,

Are fluttering to and fro; unhallowed rites,

Obscene and cruel, and unearthly shapes,

Start into being.

Carbon Date. 3050BC. Middle Neolithic Carbon Dates

Report: Wood charcoal from context 12, Sample 8 (directly sealed by cairn material) at Trefigneth [Map], Anglesey, Gwynedd, Wales. Comment (subm): antedates construction of earliest (W) chamber, ie dates the Simple Passage Grave.

ID: 7523, C14 ID: HAR-3932 Date BP: 5050 +/- 70, Start Date BP: 4980, End BP: 5120

OS Letter: SH, OS East: 259, OS North: 805

Archaeologist Name: Chris Smith

Reference Name: Smith, C A & Lynch, F, 'Trefigneth and Din Dryfol', (= Cambrian Archaeol Monogr 3), 1987, 45

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767

Carbon Date. 210BC. Middle Iron Age Carbon Dates

Report: Wood charcoal from context 8, Sample 15, from within portal of E chamber associated with sherds of two Late Neo vessels at Trefigneth [Map], Anglesey, Gwynedd, Wales. Comment (subm): very late date looks like earliest disturbance (RB?) of chambers.

ID: 7524, C14 ID: HAR-3933 Date BP: 2210 +/- 70, Start Date BP: 2140, End BP: 2280

OS Letter: SH, OS East: 259, OS North: 805

Archaeologist Name: Chris Smith

Reference Name: Smith, C A & Lynch, F, 'Trefigneth and Din Dryfol', (= Cambrian Archaeol Monogr 3), 1987, 45

Council for British Archaeology (2012) Archaeological Site Index to Radiocarbon Dates from Great Britain and Ireland [data-set]. York: Archaeology Data Service [distributor] https://doi.org/10.5284/1017767