<< Our Photo Pages >> Capel Garmon - Chambered Tomb in Wales in Gwynedd

Submitted by DrewParsons on Tuesday, 13 June 2023  Page Views: 20766

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Capel Garmon
Country: Wales County: Gwynedd Type: Chambered Tomb
Nearest Town: Betws-y-Coed  Nearest Village: Capel Garmon
Map Ref: SH81805432  Landranger Map Number: 116
Latitude: 53.072993N  Longitude: 3.765732W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
 3 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
 4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
 3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
 5

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Cas2012 43559959 SumDoood would like to visit

Couplands visited on 27th Mar 2024 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 4

elad13 visited on 30th Dec 2022 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

seveaye visited on 20th Jun 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5

crystalskull84 visited on 3rd May 2011 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

SteveC visited on 21st Oct 2008 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 4 Access: 3

emerald visited on 1st Jan 0000 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 5 Access: 3 Buy the CADW guide for Anglesey as a guide to sites and directions. Please note this site is on a private farm, ask permission before searching! A good walk padt farmhouses and fields, great site tho

lhcrandall visited - their rating: Cond: 4

coin visited - their rating: Cond: 4 Amb: 4 Access: 4

Penbron DrewParsons AngieLake TimPrevett kelpie have visited here

Average ratings for this site from all visit loggers: Condition: 3.25 Ambience: 4.29 Access: 3.33

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Penbron : Pooch on sentry duty at Capel Garmon (Vote or comment on this photo)
This chambered tomb is located on a private farm, just south of the village of Capel Garmon, Gwynedd. It was excavated in 1927 revealing a curved passage on the south side of the cairn which led to a rectangular area opening off east and west into 2 chambers.

The passage which is roughly 15 feet long and 4 feet high was blocked and had not been disturbed since prehistoric times. Other features included a forecourt and a simple entrance made from 2 slate slabs which rested against the cairn.

Reference:Megalithic Enquiries in the West of Britain, T.G.E.Powell et Al (Liverpool 1969)

Permission should be sought from the nearby farm before visiting.

Page originally by Vicky.

Note: Dr John Hill on megalithic construction techniques of trapezoidal long barrows, more on our page (doggie unrelated)
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Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by postman : Ohhhh, that dog. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : Chamber and capstone. September 2010. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : One of the circular chambers at the end of each branch of the T shaped site. September 2010. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Horatio : Looking from the original entrance towards the three chambers. (Vote or comment on this photo)

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Horatio : The original entrance can be seen on the left but the modern entrance to the chambers is formed by a missing side slab in the western chamber, the result of it being used as stable in the 19th century. Seen around the chamber on the left in this photo is the reconstructed revetment kerb stones that show the original extent of the cairn that is nearly 30 metres long and 15 metres wide. Thankfully ...

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by RABarnett : Looking to Snowdon from Capel Garmon.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : View down the length of the tomb which has a T shape with two side chambers at the end of each T. September 2010.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : The mound, chamber and stones outlining the probable original shape of the mound. September 2010.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : View into the interior showing the orthostat and dry wall construction of this pleasant but heavily restored site. September 2010.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by TimPrevett : A view from under the capstone, along the central passage. Sadly, two large concrete posts support the capstone; a necessary evil, perhaps, to maintain the integrity of the structure.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by TimPrevett : The view through the central passage, under the capstone, at Capel Garmon. I understand there are meant to be wonderful views to the west here - no chance on this visit! The rain was pouring down, strong wind, and worsening light conditions. (1 comment)

Capel Garmon Burial Chamber
Capel Garmon Burial Chamber submitted by SirLawrenceTheVain : Located on a private farm just sth of Capel Garmon which is east of Betwy-y-coed on the A5, and dates from around 2500 BC.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Horatio : Looking west so the eastern chamber is the closest, the western chamber with its remaining capstone in place but the side wall missing due to being removed by a farmer to use this as a stable and this now becomes the modern entrance.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Bladup : The main chambers at Capel Garmon.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by postman : An action shot.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : Tim "Shropshire Traveller" shown in this photo visited the site in late September 2010 with me.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : September 2010.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by DrewParsons : The mound and chamber. September 2010.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by TimPrevett : A side panorama of Capel Garmon, looking to the north, with waterproof clad companions for a sense of scale.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Antonine : 2008

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Bladup : Capel Garmon, The Eastern chamber.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Bladup : Looking inside the Western chamber at Capel Garmon.

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Alta-Falisa : Photo : MAY.2013

Capel Garmon
Capel Garmon submitted by Bladup : After sunset at Capel Garmon.

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"Capel Garmon" | Login/Create an Account | 13 News and Comments
  
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Re: Capel Garmon by stonetramp on Wednesday, 14 June 2023
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What a sweet and beautiful site! A new one to me.
How lucky to own property with a site like this on it.
I've always wanted to have enough property and money to build some replica megalithic sites on, and this one would be perfect!

Many thanks for posting all these photos of this delightful site! Love the dog too.,

Colleen
[ Reply to This ]

Megalithic construction techniques: Trapezoidal long barrows - Dr John Hill by Andy B on Tuesday, 13 June 2023
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Dr John Hill’s thoughts on practical techniques Neolithic builders might have used to construct trapezoidal long barrows. Based on experiments here at Capel Garmon in, North Wales. “…their architecture had to meet the expectations of the people. All in all, one is led to consider the possibility that any form of design was the result of deliberate planning and that the prehistoric builders were carefully surveying and measuring their monuments.”

An extract of the article here
https://twitter.com/megportal/status/1668550527704092673

and full details of the latest issue of Northern Earth here:
https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146415126
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Capel Garmon by Anonymous on Monday, 01 November 2021
Visited site last week, there is a public footpath to the site from just outside the village.
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Re: Capel Garmon by thedarkmitchell on Tuesday, 04 May 2021
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Visited the site site on Sunday 2nd May 2021. Amazing place and fantastic views. Really gives a sense of what this place meant to those who constructed the tomb. A must visit!
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Re: Capel Garmon by sem on Friday, 02 June 2017
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Coflein "The chambered tomb lies about two miles south-east of Betws y Coed, close to the village of Capel Garmon. It has stood for over 5,500 years. The tomb was constructed during the Neolithic period by the early farming communities who settled and worked the surrounding land. The Capel Garmon tomb is exceptional because of its similarity to burial monuments found in and around the River Severn. Such tombs are characterized by a trapezoidal mound or cairn there is sometimes one, but often several burial chambers, which are divided into separate sections. Massive capstones supported by large uprights, and are carefully built dry-stone walling which is one of the most distinctive features of this type of burial monument. The location of the chambered tomb at Capel Garmon seems to suggest that the rituals and beliefs followed by people living over 100 miles to the south-east were also practised in the mountains of Snowdonia." NB Located on private farm but see rogerkreed comment Oct 2012
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Re: Capel Garmon by rogerkread on Sunday, 07 October 2012
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Visited 29/9/12 when field around the site a quagmire. Parking possible in small layby at top of access road to Ty'n-y-coed farm, site signed down this access road, then clear public footpath signs to the site. As it is more or less on the right of way and in the care of Cadw there would seem to be no need to ask at the farm.
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Re: Capel Garmon by TimPrevett on Thursday, 30 September 2010
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Visited 27/09/10, and the fence here is in a terrible state now, and clearly sheep move in and around the tomb from their faeces all over the place. The western fencing is particularly wrecked and ineffectual.
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Re: Capel Garmon by coldrum on Thursday, 22 January 2009
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Link:

http://www.walesdirectory.co.uk/Ancient_Sites/Capel_Garmon_Burial_Chamber.htm
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Re: Capel Garmon by coldrum on Wednesday, 14 January 2009
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RCAHMW site record:

http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/94722/details/CAPEL+GARMON+BURIAL+CHAMBER/
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Re: Capel Garmon by coldrum on Tuesday, 10 July 2007
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http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=41
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Re: Capel Garmon by AngieLake on Monday, 10 July 2006
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In CADW's "Wales, Castles & Historic Places" first published in 1990, we read:
"Capel Garmon Burial Chamber, near Llanrwst, Gwynedd.
This well-preserved Neolithic tomb is a far-flung member of the group archaeologists call 'Cotswold-Severn', named after the area where they chiefly occur.
Excavated in 1924, Capel Garmon perhaps dates to about 3,500 BC, though it is only possible to speculate on why its form should resemble that of tombs further south. The excavations revealed a wedge-shaped cairn, surrounded by a revetment wall, and with 'horns' extending on either side of a false entrance at the east end. The true entrance is on the south side, from which a passage some 16ft long leads to the triple burial chamber itself.
A large capstone survives above the west compartment.
When complete, these details could not have been seen as the whole was intentionally buried beneath the barrow mound."
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Re: Capel Garmon by TimPrevett on Thursday, 07 October 2004
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Before entering through the gates to visit, have a look over the fence on the north side of the entrance of the property opposite (Llwynau ? if I recall correct); there was a large pile of stones, with nettles in abundance, in an otherwise well kept grassy area. Looks like many chambered tombs & cairns I have seen. Nothing on the NMR, or OS maps, though.
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Capel Garmon by Anonymous on Tuesday, 30 June 2009
    We saw this on closer inspection stumps of trees were obvious,felled many years ago, might be yews? What do you think it could be, cant find any reference to it.
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