Penmaen Burrows: Chambered Tomb, Gower

Summary

A ruinous but reasonably well-preserved megalithic burial chamber in a small hollow beside the main path across Penmaen Burrows. A thorough excavation was carried out in 1893 revealing surface finds of a human jaw bone fragment, animal bones and a bone tool handle. Bones noted beneath "paving stones" were left in place.

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Description

ruinous but reasonably well-preserved megalithic burial chamber in a small hollow beside the main path across Penmaen Burrows. The main chamber which measures approx. 4m by 2m is oriented ESE- NNW and has six surviving uprights including the stone closing the western end. A gap of 0.8m between the transverse portal slabs marks the entry at the eastern end. Beyond is a passage 1.2m wide the eastern end of which is buried in the adjacent sand dune. at right angles to the main chamber is a second chamber formed of three slabs and measuring 2.6m by 1.4m. A similar chamber on the north side is suggested by the R.C.A.H.M. in their Glamorgan Inventory (Vol I(1), No 35) but the only evidence is an isolated slab. The capstone, an impressive piece of conglomerate, is propped on the SE upright of the main chamber with the other side lying on loose stone inside the chamber. It is large enough to have covered half the main chamber or all of a side chamber. A smaller stone lying a metre west of the main chamber may be associated with the structure. Loose stone presumed to be cairn material was noted to the east and south of the surviving side chamber.

A thorough excavation was carried out in 1893 (Morgan 1894) though minor investigations had taken place in 1860 and 1881. The uncovering of the original ground surface suggested a roof height of approximately a metre though it was slightly less in the entrance passage which was shown to be 2.4m long and only 0.9m wide at the eastern end. Rough walling of sandstone pieces was used to close gaps between uprights. As the excavator did not wish to disturb the original ground surface finds including a human jaw fragment, animal bones and a bone tool handle were limited to the layers of blown sand filling the two chambers. Bones noted beneath "paving stones" in the southern chamber were left in place. Large quantities of shells were found in both chambers but all deposits appeared to post-date the tomb. Three pieces of brown pottery were discovered adjacent to the side chamber on an early layer of blown sand.

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