Saturday, September 05, 2026
Giant's Grave, Gower
As this site tells us Giant’s Grave is a Neolithic (4000-3000bc) tomb belonging to the so-called Severn-Cotswold group:
The burial site was first located in 1869 when it was plundered for stone and re-excavated in 1960-61 by R J C Atkinson. Bone fragments belonging to 40 individuals have been recovered. All were adults except for three, also discovered were two rims of Neolithic pottery. It is thought that the rounded stones on the southern corner of the tomb were washed by a river that once ran alongside the tomb but has since found its way underground into the limestone rocks below.
On the opposite side of the valley there is a beautifully restored lime kiln. A little further up the valley (approx 150 yards) on the right-hand side, a path leads up the valley side to Cat Hole cave:
In 1968 excavations of this cave yielded flint blades suggesting occupation during the last ice age, while human remains indicated use later in Mesolithic times and the bronze age. More recently in 2010 archaeologist Dr George Nash discovered at the rear of the cave rock art which has since been proven to be over 14000 years old making it the oldest cave art in Britain if not in Western Europe.
Despite my experience, it is well worth the walk but beware. The website suggests that you don't stay out after dark:
Now a word of warning, you may wish to start your walk back before the night falls because many of the locals believe that the valley is haunted! My father used to say that when we used to graze our horses in the valley you would not find a single one of them still on the flat valley floor much after dusk – they would all move up into the trees where there is no grazing. He first heard the stories from an old lady whose family had taken up residence in Parc-Le-Breos House while it lay empty and in disrepair in the early fifties. I have personally walked through the Cwm many times after dark and apart from my imagination running away with me once or twice, I disappointingly haven’t witnessed anything supernatural!
There is a lot more about this site on this wikipedia page, including putting the grave into its historical context:
The cromlech at Parc le Breos Cwm is one of 120–30 sites identified as belonging to the category of long barrow tomb known as the Severn-Cotswold or Cotswold-Severn group.Excavations show these tombs to have been built on sites that had already "gained some significance". Archaeologist Julian Thomas theorises that these sites may have been "very long-lived woodland clearances" that had become landmarks and meeting-places.
This is map of how to get there if you're interested. Start at the Gower Inn and be sure to call into Shepherd's for ice cream afterwards
Labels: lochist
