Tinkinswood, Neolithic burial chamber in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.
Tinkinswood is a Neolithic burial chamber built from limestone, with a massive capstone weighing 40 tons that sits atop upright supporting stones. The chamber was originally covered by an earth mound that eroded away over thousands of years, leaving the stone structure exposed.
The monument was built during the Neolithic period and served as a burial place over several millennia. Early 20th century excavations revealed pottery fragments and human remains that show burials took place here across a long span of time.
The structure shows how early farming communities buried their dead in family groups and built impressive stone monuments for ritual purposes. The way the stones interlock reveals the practical skills these people possessed.
The site is freely accessible and sits in an open landscape where visitors can view the structure from multiple angles. Informational panels on site explain the main features, and a maintained path goes around the monument.
Later investigations revealed that an area originally thought to be part of the burial chamber actually belonged to a Bronze Age structure. This discovery shows the site was used for different purposes across different time periods.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
