Capel Garmon Chambered Tomb

Visitor notice

If you’re planning to visit Capel Garmon, please note that the monument is only accessed via a public right of way over farm land, you can find this from the nearby bridleway / lane. Although there is parking space for one or two cars, larger groups of visitors are advised to contact the nearby farm to arrange alternative parking arrangements before visiting.

Cadw have received reports of aggressive dogs loose on the land and public footpath used to access the Capel Garmon Chambered Tomb. Whilst we investigate this matter, visitors to the burial chamber are advised to exercise extreme caution or defer their visit until further notice.

Overview

Neolithic burial chamber in an unexplained location

Thanks to its setting in north Wales, this well-preserved Neolithic (New Stone Age) chamber is something of an oddity. Tombs of this type belong to an archaeological grouping called ‘Cotswold-Severn’ after the area in which they are generally found, so Capel Garmon’s unusual position so far north remains a mystery.

A 16ft/5m passageway leads to a triple burial chamber with a large capstone over the western compartment. Surrounding the structure is a ring of stones marking the outline of a nearly 100ft/30m earthen mound which originally covered it.