Pentre Ifan cromlech, Preseli
This Neolithic cromlech is one of the best-preserved in Britain. The large capstone is 5 metres long and 2.4 metres wide. There are six upright stones. The capstone rests only on three of them.
The stones were probably covered by a mound of earth and/or stones to form a burial chamber beneath the capstone. The chamber may have been used to bury the bodies of important people during the Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age – more than 5,000 years ago.
It was during that period that people first started farming in Britain. It’s thought that South-west Wales was one of the earliest areas of Britain to be farmed. Neolithic people also developed more durable knives and axes with cutting edges which could be resharpened.
The cromlech is now a scheduled ancient monument in the care of Cadw. Follow the link below for visiting information and a video of how the site might have looked originally.
The name Pentre Ifan is that of a wooded estate, which included the cromlech. Pentre Ifan farm and ‘Pentre Evan Wood’ are to the north.
Cadw website – visitor information and video