Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Burial Mounds

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Steinacleit

This array of boulders marks what is left of a chambered cairn, and possibly shows the site was overlain by a huge hall. The site is 50 feet in diameter and oval in shape. The age of the site is debatable and according to different sources ranges from from 1800 – 1500 BC or 3000 – 1500 BC.

Directions: Steinacleit is at Siadar on the A857.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Barpa Langass

Barpa Langass is a Neolithic chambered cairn, which now survives as a jumbled mass of stone overlooking a moonscape of barren peatland. The cairn is roughly 16 feet high, and around 82 feet across.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds / King Arthur / Legends

Bedd Arthur

The whole area around Dyfed is associated with Arthur, outlined in the old Welsh tales now part of the Mabinogion. This cairn on the hilltop is thought to be Arthur’s Grave.

Directions: The grave is in the Prescely Mountains

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds / Giants / Legends

Barclodiad-y-Gawres Chambered Cairn

This burial mound has five carved stones within its chamber, now capped by concrete to prevent their erosion. The stones are carved with a range of patterns including spirals cup marks and zig-zag features. The purpose of these marks is unknown, but they may have had some ritual function.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds / Dragons / Legends

Bedd-yr-Afanc

Bedd-yr-Afanc means the monsters grave, the Afanc being a name commonly given to a water monster in Wales. The grave is actually the only Bronze Age Gallery Grave in Wales and dates from around 1500BC. Just two rows of parallel stones survive. According to legend the Afanc used to dwell in a pool by Brynberian Bridge, and was captured and killed then buried in this mound on the hillside.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds / Folklore

Bedd Branwen

The chambered tomb called the Bedd Branwen, is said to be the resting place of Branwen, the legendary wife of Bran described in early Welsh stories.

Directions: To the East of Elim.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Bryn Celli Dhu

The name of this site translates as the mound in the dark grove. It is a developed site, which changed in ritual use and importance during the Neolithic and Bronze age period.

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds / Featured Sites

Balnuaran of Clava

The Clava Cairns – or more correctly Balnuaran of Clava – is one of the best preserved Bronze Age burial sites in Scotland. There are three cairns here, two with passage ways aligned to the Midwinter sunset, and all with more subtle features, incorporated to reflect the importance of the South-west horizon.