Location Summary
Neolithic burial chamber that was once a henge with a stone circle. Possibility (depending on your girth) of going inside the chamber. Useful for determining whether today is the summer solstice.
Website: Bryn Celli Ddu
Car Park: Free (a 10 minute walk from the burial chamber)
Fee: None
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Captain's Log
Looking Down The Entrance Tunnel Towards The Chamber
21/03/24
Bryn Celli Ddu
Bryn Celli Ddu is a Neolithic burial mound located in the south of Anglesey. It looks remarkably like the home of the Telly Tubbies. Originally the site used to have a henge with a stone circle. The chamber is said to be aligned with the summer solstice. There is a narrow entrance and tunnel that takes you into a small circular chamber. There is a hole in the mound opposite the entrance to the chamber and this usefully enables light to enter. This wasn't there when the burial mound was originally built and is a feature of the mound being smaller than when it was originally built. There is an upright pillar stone within the burial chamber, that one can mistake as a human presence if seen in the corner of your eye. Human bones, both burnt and unburnt, were found with the chamber and passage. The kerbstones, outside of the tomb, show the original extent of the mound. Beyond the back wall of the chamber, in a location that would once have been in the mound, stands a replica of the 'Pattern Stone.' Both sides of it contain snake like shapes.
Replica Of The Pattern Stone. Now Placed At What Is Thought To Have Been Its Original Position When The Site Was A Henge.
Mysterious Stone Monolith Inside The Chamber (Snake Like Inscriptions Can Be Seen On This Stone...Although It Is Thought That These Were Done At A Later Date)
A Closer Look
A small carpark is provided for those who want to visit the site, turn right out of the carpark and after a short walk along the road, there is a signed path to the left. It is a 5-10 minute walk from the carpark to the burial mound.
When I arrived at the site I was greeted by a grassy mound surrounded by a ring of small rocks (the kerbstones). The entrance to the mound wasn't blocked off and so curiosity prevailed and I decided to take a look inside. I tried to squeeze into the entrance, but I was either too fat or something on my rucksack was catching on the stones. I took my rucksack off and tried again. By breathing in, crouching down, stripping naked and greasing myself with goose fat, I was able to edge my way in and down the short tunnel to the centre of the mound. In the small chamber, I was grateful to the hole in the opposite side of the mound since this provided sufficient illumination without having to use a torch. I have to say that it does feel a little eerie in the chamber. In the dim light, the large monolith near the side of the chamber could be mistaken as a human form for those cursed with an imagination. Since there are no written records, nobody knows the purpose of this stone. I was quite surprised (and a little bit assured) that there were two large beams straddling the top of the chamber. I'm amazed that they knew how to create and use reinforced concrete in 2000 BC. It is only by visiting such sites to witness such evidence for yourself that you gain an appreciation of the capabilities of these people. I didn't eat my packed lunch in the chamber and so I was able to squeeze out of the narrow entrance.
Bryn Celli Ddu had been an interesting place to visit. The information boards are comprehensive. You may want to go on a pre-tour diet if you wish to go down the entrance tunnel to the chamber. My only disappointment is that I didn't find any Telly Tubbies.